I'll Be
by AFIRocksMySocks
Summary: This story is a fanfiction about the Triwizard Tournament from the eyes of Cedric's best friend Ria. See the Tournament through her eyes, and learn how hard it was for her to watch her best friend, and possibly the only guy she would ever love risk his li
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cedric or any of the other recognizable Hogwarts characters, I have never owned them, and probably will never own them (Which is sad because I love the twins so much!) Nor do I own certain quotes in this story…they were taken from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire therefore, I do not own them, the ever lovely J.K. Rowling owns those quotes. I do however own Ria, so take her and die. I do not own the song I'll Be that belongs to Edwin McCain.

* * *

**

Music blasted in Ria's ears as she shut the door of her house. With luck, she would never have to see that place again.

On her back was a black book bag, the bag was filled with everything important that Ria had ever owned. Even though the book bag could be expanded to fit a car in it if that's what Ria wanted to put in it; it had only needed to be expanded a little.

Ria walked to the end of her family's driveway and stuck her right hand out in the air in front of her. There was a bang and a triple-decker purple bus appeared in front of where she was standing.

Ria, who had grown accustomed to the Knight Bus, she had used it to run away from her house many times, climbed up the stairs and turned with a smile to the conductor, Stan Shunpike.

"Hello Miss Ria, where are you running to this time?" Stan asked with a smile.

"Erm, 256 Dunfry Avenue, please." Ria answered.

Stan nodded, "That's where you went the first time you ran away, am I right?"

Ria nodded and handed him the three galleons that she had taken from her older brother and sat down in her usual seat by the window. She turned her ipod back on and closed her eyes.

* * *

"Dunfry Avenue!" Stan yelled.

Ria started, "Huh?" she asked Stan.

"We're at your stop, Miss Ria." Stan told her gently.

Ria nodded and stood up in her seat, picking up her book bag as she did, "Thanks Stan, you too Ern." She said with a nod before stepping off the bus.

Stan waved with a smile, and Ernie nodded, tipping his hat toward Ria. Then there was another bang and the Knight Bus disappeared, leaving Ria to stand on the walk way of a large, beautiful house surrounded by many other houses, that were just as huge, and just a beautiful.

The birds chirped, and Ria could hear small children playing down the street, what they were playing, she had no idea, but in this completely magical neighborhood, they could be playing Quidditch for all Ria knew, they didn't have to worry about muggles.

She walked up the walk way to the front door and rang the doorbell.

"I'll get it, Mum!" a teenage boy's voice called from within the house.

Ria smiled as the door opened.

"Ria?" her best friend asked in a confused voice.

"Not happy to see me?" she asked in a joking tone.

Cedric smiled and hugged her, "What are you doing here?" he asked her.

"Ceddy, can I stay here until school starts?" Ria asked.

Cedric stood aside and let her walk in the house. He took her book bag off for her and placed it on the floor by the front door.

"What was it this time?" he asked knowingly.

Ria sighed, "They got mad at me, I mean they were furious, because I want to be an auror when we get out of school."

"So?" Cedric asked, "You've wanted to be an auror since like the beginning of time, or at least as long as I've known you."

Ria nodded, "They always thought it was just a childhood dream that would go away after a while, now they're mad because I still want to be one."

"What do they want you to be?" Cedric asked.

"You mean besides an auror?" Ria asked.

Cedric smiled and nodded.

"They want me to be, get this, a model for Witch Weekly, they should know that I hate those creepy long-legged blonde..things."

Cedric started laughing.

"It is not funny!" Ria said as she hit him upside the head.

"You have to admit that it is a little bit funny." Cedric said.

Ria shook her head as if to say "No way."

Cedric nodded.

Ria shook her head again, "They should know me well enough to know that there is no was in hell that I would ever become a model, I want to actually help people, not be some creepy puppet thing for them to stare at."

Cedric started laughing again as he led Ria to the kitchen.

"Mum?" he asked as they walked in.

"Yes, Ced?" his mother asked as she turned around, "Oh, hello Ria." She said with a smile, when she caught sight of Ria standing next to Cedric, her only son.

"Hey Mrs. Diggory." Ria said with a small wave.

"Mum, is it ok if Ria stays with us for the rest of the week, until school starts?" Cedric asked.

Mrs. Diggory nodded.

"Thank-you so much!" Ria squealed, rushing forward to hug Mrs. Diggory.

Mrs. Diggory laughed as Cedric grabbed Ria's hand and pulled the girl up the stairs.

"Did you hear about what happened at the World Cup?" Ria asked Cedric as they walked into his bedroom.

"Hear about it? I was there!" Cedric said, sitting down on his bed.

"No way? Really? You have got to be kidding me! Really?" Ria asked, throwing herself down on the bed next to her best friend.

"Yeah, the deatheaters were actually quite frightening." Cedric said.

Ria started laughing.

"What?" Cedric asked with a smile.

"I was talking about the whole 'Krum catching the snitch, but Ireland winning the game' thing, not the deatheaters." Ria said.

"Yeah, that was cool too, the Weasley twins actually bet on that you know? And they won so much money."

"Not really." Ria said.

"What?" Cedric asked.

"The money that cheat, Ludo Bagman, gave them was Leprechaun gold, it disappeared within a few hours."

"Ludo did that?" Cedric asked.

Ria nodded, "Just goes to show how corrupted the ministry is these days."

Cedric nodded.

It got quiet for a few moments, each teenager engaged in his or her own thoughts.

"So tell me about the deatheaters!" Ria said excitedly after a while.

Cedric laughed,"You never change do you?" he asked.

Ria shook her head.

Cedric stared into her pretty brown eyes.

Ria was always saying that her eyes were nothing special, that they were the color of mud.

But Cedric knew differently, her eyes were like Chocolate, and you could see all of her inner thoughts through them, when she was excited about deatheaters, or when she and the Weasley twins were planning their next prank, there was a sparkle in her eyes that was breathtaking.

Cedric had never been able to figure out how Ria didn't notice how captivating she was to the whole male population of Hogwarts school.

Ria waved her hand in front of Cedric's hazel eyes, "Ceddy? You there? Ced-Ced? Hello? Snap out of it!"

Cedric turned to her, "Sorry, what were we talking about?" he asked.

"You were about to tell me about the deatheaters." Ria said.

"Oh yeah, Sorry." Cedric said, turning away from Ria before he could get lost in those dark chocolate pools again.

* * *

"We're back at school!" Ria yelled as she and Cedric jumped off the Hogwarts Express.

"It's our seventh year!" Cedric yelled excitedly.

"This is going to be our best year yet! I can feel it!" Ria squealed, she started dancing on the platform, gaining some weird looks from the other students milling about.

Cedric laughed and joined in.

"Yay Ceddy!" Ria shouted.

Cedric looped his arm through Ria's, "Come on." He said, "Let's get in a carriage, it's raining again."

Ria laughed at Cedric's comment, "It's always raining on the first night at Hogwarts, Ced-Ced." She said with a smile.

Cedric just shook his head and led Ria to one of the horseless carriages.

"One of these days, I'm going to ask Dumbledore how these things move without a horse." Ria told Cedric.

"You tell me this every year Ri, and you have yet to actually ask him."

"One of these days." Ria said cheerfully before jumping on Cedric's back and letting him carry her to the carriage.

Inside, Fred and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet were already sitting.

"Hey guys, what's shaking?" Ria asked as Cedric dumped her in a seat.

"Hey Ri," they all answered.

"Hey Cedric." They said when they saw him enter the carriage.

He waved at them and shut the carriage door.

"So, who's our captain this year?" Ria asked looking around the carriage.

Angelina raised her hand.

"Really, you made Quidditch captain? Awesome!" Ria shouted.

Angelina smiled, "Yeah, we just need to hold try-outs for a new keeper, since Oliver left."

Ria nodded, "How are they going to work?" she asked.

"If they can stop one of your goals, then they're on the team." Angelina said.

"But, wait! I didn't agree to this cruel form of try-outs." Ria protested.

"Come on Ri, you are the best chaser on the team, I'm not insulted to admit it, and if they can block one of your goals, no goal is getting through them." Angelina said.

Ria rolled her eyes, "Fine." She muttered.

Cedric laughed at her.

"Yeah, you're going to be captain too, I know." Ria muttered to him.

He smiled, "And we're going to be Gryffindor's ass!"

"You shouldn't have said that." Ria warned.

"And why not?" Cedric asked.

Ria smiled evilly, "Because you're in a carriage full of Gryffindor Quidditch team players." She said.

Cedric smiled and lifted Ria onto his lap.

"If you want to hurt me, you have to hurt her first!" he said jokingly.

The others cracked up.

"Ceddy, put me down now!" Ria yelled.

As the carriage pulled up in front of the castle, Ria jumped up and stared at it.

She looped her arm through Cedric's, "Do you realize, Ceddy, that this is the last time we will ever go to a Hogwarts sorting ceremony?" she asked him.

Cedric nodded, "I was thinking the same thing Ri." He said.

"Oh cheer up," Alicia said.

"Easy for you to say Spinnet, you still have one more year after this. So do you, Weasleys." Ria said sadly.

Fred and George wrapped their arms around Ria's shoulders, "It won't be the same without you." They said in unison.

Angelina laughed, "They do have that right, but think of how good our Quidditch team will be this year! Gryffindor is so going to win the cup again."

"What if Hufflepuff wins?" Cedric asked.

"I don't care, as long as it's not Slytherin, Flint has been getting on my nerves since first year." Ria said.

"Is he still asking you out?" Alicia asked.

"Asking, he's almost trying to force me to go out with him." Ria said with a laugh.

"Do not worry, Lady Fair." Fred said.

"We will help you, for we care!" George continued.

"We'll help you squash that ugly troll." Fred said.

"After that we'll….take a stroll?" George questioned.

Ria started laughing, "I love you guys." She said with a smile.

They had neared the castle now and were walking into the entrance hall when a red balloon went whizzing through the air and narrowly missed Ria's head.

She laughed and looked up in the air, " 'Ello Peeves." She said cheerfully.

A little man in horribly miss-matched clothes appeared floating in thin air.

"Miss Ria, how nice to see you on this fine evening." The poltergeist said.

Fred and George smiled and waved.

The others smiled shyly and started edging away, afraid of the water balloons.

"I'll contact you about the end of the year prank." Ria whispered conspicuously.

Peeves winked and went back to throwing water balloons at unsuspecting students.

The group walked into the Great Hall.

Cedric went and sat at the Hufflepuff table as the Gryffindors went to their table.

They watched the sorting, a new Creevy was added to the house.

Ria did not know Colin Creevy personally, but Harry had told her about him on many occasions.

Ria was not like most seventh years, she would talk to younger students, like Harry, and not just because he was famous, she had first got to know him when Wood brought him to their first team practice.

She could still remember how amazed she had been after she saw him fly.

* * *

**Flash Back:**

"_Wood, what's this first year doing here?" Ria called._

_Ria was a fourth year Gryffindor and she still remembered how hard she had worked to get on the Gryffindor Quidditch team in her second year, and here is this first year coming to Quidditch practice. It wasn't right, at least not in Ria's eyes._

"_This." Wood had said, placing his hand on the first year's shoulder, "Is James Potter's son."_

_Ria's mouth dropped open, she hadn't even thought that James Potter's son was THE Harry Potter, all she was thinking was that this first year was related to THE James Potter._

"_James Potter? He's related to the best seeker Hogwarts has ever had?" Ria yelled._

_Oliver nodded._

_Ria rushed forward and hugged the new kid, "Merlin! Your father is like my hero! Him and Sirius Black were like the best pranksters Hogwarts has EVER seen! Could you like get me his autograph?"_

_The first year looked at her weirdly._

_Wood rushed forward and pulled Ria off of him and away from the group._

"_Ria?" he asked._

"_Yeah?" she answered._

"_That's Harry Potter, The boy who lived." Oliver said plainly._

"_Oh yeah, I forgot that his parents- oh….that must be a touchy subject, am I right?" _

_Oliver nodded._

"_I'm sorry." Ria said._

"_Apologize to him, not me." Oliver said plainly._

_Ria walked back towards Harry._

"_Hey." She said softly._

_Harry looked up at her._

"_Listen, I'm sorry about the whole…yeah, I got wrapped up in the fact that you were related to my idol that I forgot about the…night."_

_Harry had nodded, showing her that it was all right._

_Over the next year, they had gotten really close. Oliver had enlisted Ria to help train Harry for matches, and Ria had begun to look at the boy as her little brother. He had thought the same about her..after he had gotten over the fact that he thought she was cute, that is._

_It turned out that they had a lot in common, Ria had told Harry about how her parents had been killed by You-Know-Who (she refused to say the name) and she had been sent to live with her father's sister and her husband._

_And even though her family was a wizarding family it didn't make it any easier on her._

_There were a few differences, Voldermort wasn't after Ria, and her family liked her. But the basic fact that both of her parents had been killed, like Harry's drew them closer together.

* * *

_

When Dennis got sorted into Gryffindor, Ria caught Harry's eye and smirked.

He laughed and shook his head.

They started eating and caught up with everyone.

Once the food was cleared, Dumbledore stood up to address the students.

"It is my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." He began.

"What?" Harry and Ria gasped at the same time.

Ria looked at the twins and Angelina. They all looked equally surprised.

"So much for squashing Flint." Ria muttered to the twins.

"Sorry Ri." They said, patting her on the shoulder.

Dumbledore continued, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy – But I am sure you all will enjoy it immensely. I have the great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

But Dumbledore was again cut off before he could finish his speech. This time, he was not cut off by the students, but by the doors to the Great Hall bursting open.

There was a man standing in the doorway, as he walked toward the teachers' table, lighting flashed, illuminating his face.

All the students gasped.

The man's face was heavily scared and it appeared that he was missing half of his nose. On of his eyes had been popped out and was replaced with an electric blue glass eye that swiveled around, taking in the whole hall and all of the students. As he walked, every other step he took was announced by a dull thud, leading Ria to believe that he had a wooden leg.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher?" Dumbledore asked brightly.

"Please!" Ria yelled out.

Dumbledore smiled, "Welcome, Professor Moody." He said then he started clapping. Only Hagrid joined in. Moody didn't seem to care or even notice though.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" Ria asked the twins.

"I guess." Fred answered.

"Wicked." Ria said.

"Why?" George asked.

"He is going to be the most awesome D.A.D.A. teacher ever." Ria said.

"How do you figure that?" James, a fellow seventh year asked.

"Because, he's really been out there, he knows what he's talking about. I bet him and Lupin will be the only Defense teachers that actually know what they're talking about.

The twins nodded, "She has a-" Fred said.

"Point you know." George finished for him.

Dumbledore cleared his throat to silence that hall.

"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the hall, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

Ria's jaw dropped.

George slipped his hand under her chin and gently closed her mouth.

"You're JOKING!" Fred yelled.

Dumbledore chuckled, "I am _not_ joking Mr. Weasley."

George had moved his hand from under Ria's chin, and her jaw dropped again.

Again he closed her mouth for her, and this time he kept his hand under her chin so that it would not fall again.

"Although, now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar…"

McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er- but maybe this is not the time…no…" said Dumbledore.

As Dumbledore went on to explain the tournament Ria just sat there staring wide-eyed at him. She could not believe that this was actually happening. This so beat squashing Flint for the Cup, this was a once in a life time opportunity. She couldn't wait to put her name in the running for the tournament.

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short list of contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place on Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money." Dumbledore said.

"I'm going for it!" Fred yelled.

Ria nodded. She was going to go for it too.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwzard Cup to Hogwarts," Dumbledore continued, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on the contenders this year. Only students that are of age – that is to say, seventeen years or older – will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This" – he had to raise his voice because of the out roar of students.

Ria could see her chances of getting in the tournament slipping away; she would not be seventeen until New Years. This meant that she would not be able to put forth her name.

Fred and George were complaining too, they wanted to compete, but they would not be seventeen until April of that year.

Ria looked toward the Hufflepuff table and saw Cedric smiling at her, "Yeah I know, you can compete." She yelled across the hall, rolling her eyes.

"In your face, Gryffindor!" Cedric yelled at her.

She shook her head and gave him the middle finger.

"This is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year would be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no under-aged student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion."

At this the headmaster's twinkling blue eyes darted toward Ria and the Weasley twins. All three of them tried to look innocent, but it did not work to well.

"I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it's late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Ria stood up and jumped on James's back.

His hands went instinctively to her upper thighs to keep her from slipping onto the floor.

"Piggy back ride?" she begged.

James nodded, "You seem rather tired anyways." He said with a smile.

Ria nodded and buried her head into James's shoulder, "Very tired." She whispered.

"Just one question, before you go to bed." James said.

Ria nodded.

"You're the prefect, so what's the password?" James said.

Ria yawned, "You're a prefect too." She whispered.

"I wasn't listening." James admitted as they walked toward the common room.

"Balderdash." Ria whispered.

"Ok." James said.

* * *

When Ria woke up the next morning, she was in her bed, but she had no idea how she had gotten there.

She sat up and stared at Angelina.

Angelina giggled, "You fell asleep on the way up here." She said.

Ria nodded.

"James grabbed his broom, and flew up the staircase to put you to sleep." Alicia said.

"It was rather sweet." Angelina said.

Ria shook her head.

"We offered to take you, but he said that you were his responsibility and that he wanted to make sure you were comfortable." Alicia said.

"Guys, I've known him since I was like two, he's just my friend." Ria defended.

"Right, like Diggory is just your friend." Angelina pointed out.

"Like Wood was just your friend." Alicia added.

Ria rolled her eyes, "Oliver and I tried going out, but it didn't work, we seriously were just friends. And James, he's not like Ceddy…Ced's special."

"I think she likes him." Angelina said knowingly to Alicia.

"Who? James?" Alicia asked.

"No, Diggory."

"I do not!" Ria yelled.

"Come on, just admit it Ri."

"No, cause it's not true." Ria told the girls, as they left the room Ria looked down at her journal, "At least, I don't think it's true." She whispered to herself before getting dressed in her uniform and running down to the common room.

* * *

It was October twenty-ninth; everyone was in the common room staring at a large sign.

"What's it say?" Ria asked the twins.

"See for yourself." James said, he lifted Ria unto his shoulder so that she could see over the heads of the other milling students.

Triwizard Tournament The delegations from Beauxbatons and 

_Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock_

_On Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will_

_End half an hour early._

Students will return their bags and books 

_To their dormitories and assemble in front_

_Of the castle to greet our guests before_

_The Welcoming Feast._

"Wicked!" Ria said.

"My last class is Divination, go me!"

James helped her climb off his shoulders.

"Jamie?" Ria asked.

"Yeah Ri?" James replied.

Ria held out her tie, "Tie my tie?" she asked.

"When are you going to learn to do this yourself?" James asked.

"Why bother if I have you to tie it for me?" Ria asked with a smile.

Before James could answer, she had hopped off out of the tower toward breakfast.

* * *

"They're coming!" Ria yelled from the back row of the Gryffindor area as the whole school stood in front of Hogwarts castle to greet the guests.

"Where?" Fred asked from in front of her.

"Look to the sky." She whispered.

"That black dot?" George asked.

"Actually, it's blue." Ria whispered.

"Oh." The twins said.

Within a few moments a powder blue carriage had landed on the sweeping lawns, the horses were gigantic; Ria could only imagine how excited Hagrid was to be able to take care of those things.

The students from Beauxbatons were pansies and went inside because it was too cold for them.

"Did you see that woman?" James asked.

Ria nodded, "She's got to be bigger than Hagrid."

She looked over at Cedric, who smiled and waved at her,

She smiled back and flashed him a "rock on" symbol.

Slowly a ship began to rise out of the lake.

The headmaster, Karkaroff, walked up to Dumbledore and talked to him for a moment before heading inside with one of his students.

As they walked by, the boy caught Ria's eye, she gasped.

As soon as they past, Ria caught Cedric's attention.

"Ced, it's Krum." She mouthed to him.

* * *

"Hey Everard!" Cedric called in the hallway.

It was October 31st the day that the champions would be chosen.

Ria turned around, "Hey Diggs!" she said with a happy smile.

"I just put my name in the Goblet." Cedric said excitedly.

"Really?" Ria asked.

Cedric nodded.

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

"Way to go Hufflepuff!" Ria yelled.

"Keep it down, I don't want everyone to know yet." Cedric said.

Ria made a motion as if to zip her lips shut, "Your secret is safe with me, but really way to go!"

Cedric smiled as Ria wrapped her arms around his neck.

He got a slight shiver down his back as she whispered, "You're going to win, I know it," softly in his ear.

A small blush appeared on his cheeks, "Well maybe, we don't really know if I'll even get picked."

"Why are you so modest, of course you'll get picked." Ria said as she pulled away from him.

"Shouldn't you be rooting for Angelina, or something? I mean, she is in your house." Cedric pointed out.

"Yeah, but she's not my bestest friend in the whole wide world." Ria cooed jokingly pinching his cheeks.

Cedric smiled.

Ria looped her arm through his, "Walk me to the Great Hall so I can watch you become Hogwarts champion?" she asked.

Cedric nodded and they walked toward the Great Hall.

Today the students sat wherever they wanted, so Ria sat between Cedric and Harry and behind the twins on the seats that lined the outsides of the hall.

The Goblet of Fire was placed in the middle of the room and Dumbledore was standing next to it.

He gave his speech and the whole hall waited with baited breath for the Goblet to do something.

The flames turned blue and a piece of paper shot out of the goblet, Dumbledore reached out and grabbed the paper.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he said in a strong, clear voice, " will be Viktor Krum."

The whole hall burst into applause.

As Krum got up he glanced over toward Ria and smiled before entering the room.

Cedric glanced at Ria, silently asking why Krum was smiling at her.

She placed her head on his shoulder, "I don't know why Ceddy. Why are you jealous?"

Cedric just shrugged and went back to watching the goblet as the flames turned blue again, and another name flew out.

"The Champion for Beauxbatons is Fleur Delacour."

"The veela." Ria whispered under her breath.

"What?" the boys around her asked.

"Nothing." She hissed back.

The goblet turned blue a final time, "The Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory."

Ria threw her arms around Cedric, "What did I tell you?" she whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

Cedric just sat there in shock.

"Go on." Ria whispered, giving him a gentle push.

He smiled and stood up; Ria gently slapped his butt.

He turned to look at her.

"Got get 'em tiger." She said with a coy smirk.

After Cedric went through the door Dumbledore started speaking again, but he was cut off when the flames in the goblet turned blue again, a fourth piece of paper flew out.

Dumbledore caught it and stared at it for a moment, he looked as though he could not believe what he was reading.

Everyone stared at Dumbledore as he stared at the parchment.

Then he cleared his throat and read out, "Harry Potter."

* * *

**Ok, I need to tell you how this is going to work...the following installments are going to be just as long as the last one, because I am trying to fit the whole fourth book (All 733 pages of it) into a 7 installment fanfiction...which means the chapters are going to be huge, (we're talking like the size of Madame Maxim huge) It's going to take me a while to post each new installment because..well I have other stuff I gotta do too. But lots of reviews may sway me to update faster, so review if you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognizable characters in this story, I only own Ria and James! Please don't take these two or I may be forced to stalk you! The recognizable characters belong to the oh-so-wonderful J.K. Rowling! Flowers for her! I hope you like the second installment and I'm sorry it took me so long to type up!**

**I am currently**

**I'm feeling: extremely hyper.**

**Listening to: River Below by Billy Talent**

**Thinking: That I can't wait to go to the beach this week!

* * *

**

"Can you believe that Potter is a champion?"

"I know, I don't really understand. How do you think he managed to get picked?"

"I think he cheated."

"Hey, I know Potter, and he wouldn't cheat!"

"How well do you know him, Ri?"

"He's like my little brother, I think I know him pretty well."

"So he didn't tell you anything about this?"

"Besides the fact that he would _not_ enter this tournament even if his life depended on it? No."

"He could have been lying."

"Potter doesn't lie."

"He did once."

"So Potter does lie?"

"Yeah, but not to me, cause I can tell when he's lying."

"So you're like a human lie detector?"

"Not really."

"So how do you know?"

"I just do ok."

"Fine, don't get so edgy"

"I am not being edgy!"

"You so are."

"Am not!"

"Let's change the subject!"

"Thank-you Angelina!"

"Let's talk about Diggory."

"You suck Angelina!"

"Come on, just admit it."

"Yeah Ria, just admit it." A deep voice entered the conversation.

All three girls sat straight up from where they had been laying on Ria's bed.

"James, you really have to stop using your broom to fly up the staircase. You're a prefect, what kind of example are you setting for the younger kids?"

"You're a prefect too Ria, and I think getting detention for punching a fourth year is worse than flying up to the girl's dormitory."

"You punched a fourth year?"

"Yes, Angelina, I punched a fourth year."

"Which one?" Alicia asked excitedly.

Ria sighed, "That Malfoy kid…he was walking around with those '_Support Cedric Diggory_ _the real Hogwarts champion / Potter stinks' _things and I got sick of it."

"You don't want to support Cedric?"

"Of course I do, he's my best friend, but Harry is my little brother. And besides Dumbledore said that we were expected to give out full support of the Hogwarts Champion, it just happens that there are two of them, but that shouldn't make a difference."

"Well, considering that half the school thinks that Potter some how got in this tournament on purpose-"

Ria cut James off, "He did not enter! He has no idea who entered him, this is not his fault, but he's getting all this hate for it. And that cow Rita Skeeter is not helping one bit! If I ever get my hands on her, I swear I will make sure that she and that wretched quill can never write another false article again!"

"A _little_ angry are we?"

"A little, does she seem a little angry?"

"It's called sarcasm, Spinnet."

"Oh. Sorry."

"So what were you girls doing up here anyways?"

"At least one Saturday a month, we come up here and discuss things."

"Well I noticed that you discuss things Angelina, what do you guys discuss?"

"Anything and everything. Teachers, homework, the latest escapade of Ria and the Weasley twins, Peeves, Quidditch, what we're all going to do after Hogwarts, what new thing is growing under Ria's bed-"

James cut Alicia off, "What new thing is _growing_ under Ria's bed?"

"Yeah, evidently, I need to clean out under my bed more often then I do."

"Oh, what else do you talk about?"

"One of our favorite subjects is boys."

"Shut-it Angelina."

"Come on Ri, he probably already knew that, I mean we were about to talk about Diggory when he barged in."

"I didn't barge in, I flew in."

"Same difference."

"So boys huh? Do you ever talk about me?"

"Uh no!"

"You're lying Ri, we talked about how him and you would look so cute together, but how it was never going to happen because you were so stuck on Diggory."

"I am not stuck on Diggory!"

"Me and Ria are **just** friends!"

Alicia smiled, "That's what they always say, one of them is lying…I don't know which one though."

"Um, excuse me?" a new voice came.

The whole group turned to look toward the door.

A fourth year girl was standing by it.

"Yeah?"

"Hey this is a girls' dormitory, are you supposed to be here?" the girl asked.

James scowled, grabbed his broom and walked out of the room.

The three older girls started giggling.

"Way to go Hermione!"

"You go Granger!"

"How come she could get him out of here, but we couldn't?"

Hermione walked up to Ria, "Harry needs to talk to you."

Ria nodded, "See ya guys, I'll be back later."

The other girls nodded and Ria walked down to the common room.

Ria saw the young Gryffindor boy sitting on one of the red couches staring into the fire.

She sat down next to him.

"Hey you." She said softly.

Harry looked up and smiled, "Hey."

They sat in silence for a while.

"You want to go for a walk like around the lake or something?"

Harry nodded, so Ria stood up and looped her arm through his.

"Come on then!"

It was silent until they got to the lake.

Ria looked out across the lake and saw the Durmstrang ship sitting in the middle of it, "It must be cold for them out there."

Harry nodded, "But then again, Hermione says that they're school is from somewhere really far up North, so it may actually be warmer for them here than it is at their own school."

Ria laughed, "Harry, I know that you did not send Hermione up to get me so that we could talk about how cold or warm it may seem for the students from Durmstrang, so what is really on your mind?"

Harry turned to look at her, "I see you have a _Support Cedric_ badge."

Ria smirked, "I also have this one."

She turned so that Harry could see the other pin that was pinned to the other side of her robe.

This badge read:

**_Support Potter!_** **_Because he's hotter._**

Harry laughed, "That seems kind of wrong coming from you.

"I meant that you're on fire! You're going to do great, Kid."

Harry shook his head.

Ria nodded.

"They all hate me."

"What do you mean?"

"Ron, he won't even talk to me anymore, he says that I could have at least told him how I did it, so that he could have a chance too, but again I wanted to be in the spotlight and again he would just be known as 'Harry Potter's stupid friend. The sidekick.' So now he's mad at me and won't talk to me anymore and I can't do this alone."

Ria put her arm around his shoulders, "You don't have to do this alone. I'm here for you, and so is Hermione, and the other boys."

Harry shook his head, "The other boys think I'm lying too, and Hermione can't be here for me all the time because then Ron would get mad at her, and we all know that Hermione likes Ron."

Ria nodded, "You have me then."

"Cedric is going to get mad at you."

"Nah, we've talked about this, he understands that I will continue to support both of you, and he says that he wishes you the best of luck."

"Why doesn't he say it to my face?"

"Because you're always walking away from him when he tries to approach you."

"It's because I think he's going to punch me or something."

"Ced wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"The same way I know that you didn't put your name in the goblet."

"It's dragons."

"What, Potter, you're not making sense. There is no way a dragon put your name in the goblet!"

"No Everard, the first task is dragons, we have to get passed them or something. We only get our wand. Merlin, I never knew how blonde you could be."

Ria smiled sheepishly, "Sorry." She said.

"It's ok."

"So do you know how you're going to get past it yet?"

"Not a clue."

"Too bad you can't have a broom."

"Yeah."

"You should talk to Hermione, maybe she'll have an idea."

"Maybe."

It got silent for awhile, Ria looked toward the forbidden forest, while Harry looked toward the lake.

"Does Cedric know?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Ria turned her head to look at him and the shook her head no.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"Harry, how can I explain to him that I know what the first task is if I'm not supposed to be taking any part in this what-so-ever?"

"You have a point."

"I know I do."

It was silent again.

"I'll tell him."

Ria glanced at him again, "Really?"

Harry nodded, "He'll be the only one that doesn't know yet, Maxime saw them and so did Karkaroff, so they will have told Krum and Delacore, Cedric can't go in there and be the only one that doesn't know what he's doing."

Ria threw her arms around Harry's neck, "You're the greatest."

Harry gave her a cocky smile, "I know."

Ria smirked, "And you're all mine." She joked.

"You'll have to fight Myrtle, I've heard that she likes me too."

Ria laughed, "I can take her on, she's just a ghost. And those other girls had better stay away from you too."

Harry smiled, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"I'm upset or something, and you say some random comment and everything seems to be ok."

"It's a gift."

"Really?"

"I don't know, I just don't like seeing you upset, so I try to make it better."

"You do a good job at it."

Ria laid her head on his shoulder, "You know what?"

"No, what?"

"This sucks."

"What sucks?"

"The fact that you are three years younger than me, and yet you are taller than me."

Harry laughed, "I think it's cool."

"Well of course you do."

They neared the castle and Harry saw Cedric, "I'm going to tell him." He whispered.

Ria nodded, "I'll be up in the common room."

* * *

"Ria, wake up!" 

Ria opened her eyes, it was still dark.

"What time is it?"

"Around Midnight."

Ria recognized the voice.

"Angelina, why in hell did you wake me up around midnight?"

"Cedric is waiting out in the hall for you, he says he needs to talk to you."

Ria jumped out of bed, "What am I gonna do, I'm not even cute yet!"

Angelina laughed, "Ria it's the middle of the night, I highly doubt that Diggory is worried about if you are cute or not. Besides, if you guys are just friends why do you care if you are not cute yet?"

"I don't."

"Didn't sound very convincing, plus you're cute enough as you are, now go!"

Ria ran down the staircase and out of the common room, straight into Cedric.

They fell down on the floor with Ria on top of him.

"Hey Ced."

"Ria why are you on top of me?"

"I don't really know."

The two laid there in the hallway for a minute.

Cedric cleared his throat, "I'll ask again, why are you on top of me.

Ria smiled and jumped up, "Sorry."

Cedric got up and looked at what Ria was wearing; a pair of short shorts and a black cami.

"You look nice."

"Don't mention it." Ria said as she pulled her hair into a messy bun.

Cedric started to walk away, so Ria caught up with him.

"Where are we going, Ced?"

"The prefects bathroom."

Ria nodded, knowing this meant that he wanted to talk about something serious, it was a tradition that had been in place since they were both named prefects in their fifth year, if they needed to talk, but didn't want to be overheard, they would go to the prefects bathroom.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Ria asked as she sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

Cedric had stripped down to his boxers and was swimming around in the warm bath water; "It's dragons."

"Yes, I know."

"How do you know?"

"Harry told me."

"Harry told me too,"

"I know."

"How do you know."

"Harry told me he was going to tell you."

"I don't suppose that Harry told you how he knew that the first task involved getting past a huge dragon?"

"No, but I know."

Cedric rolled his eyes, Ria was playing with him and he knew it, "How do you know?"

"I asked Hagrid."

"How did Hagrid know?"

"He was the one to show the dragons to Harry, he then showed them to me, and as scary as this sounds, they really are beautiful. Mind you, I probably would not think that if I had to face one with only my wand. But that Hungarian Horntail is the prettiest, I want one as a pet."

"You want a dragon as a pet? Please don't tell me that you are planning to become Hogwarts gamekeeper as well."

"No, I still want to be an aurur, but the Horntail is so pretty."

"Why is it called a horntail?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"Just tell me, Ri."

"Because it has these long spike things coming out of its tail… the dragon is dangerous on both ends. The front-end breaths fire and the back end can kill you with one strike. I am serious the horns on the tail are like bigger than my arm."

Cedric sighed, "I don't know what I am going to do, Ri, I am actually some what scared of this task."

"Believe me, you should be."

Cedric laughed and splashed water at Ria, "Way to be supportive."

Ria smiled, "I do what I can."

"Me too." Cedric said as he swam forward and pulled Ria into the bathtub with him.

* * *

It was the day of the first task, for the last month, Ria had been trying to support both of her friends without discrediting the other, it was hard, but she felt that she had done well. 

Another problem she had was that she was not allowed to help either one, she refused to do so, because not only was it against the rules, but it was also unfair to her friends, they needed to figure out how to get past their dragons on their own, the only thing she could do was show them support. Which was getting harder and harder to do as the task got closer because both had become stressed, and dealt with said stress in different ways. Harry refused to take a break; he was constantly working on some "secret operation" with Hermione. And Cedric, well Cedric when he got stressed he was hard to talk to, he seemed to get offended by anything and everything anyone said to him, so Ria resulted to just sitting next to him quietly in the school library as he looked things up in books.

But all of it was ending today, at least for now anyway, today was the day of the first task, and as worried for her friends as she was, Ria could not wait to see how the champions got past their dragons.

She had kissed both Cedric and Harry good luck as they left the great hall and was now sitting in the stands. People were staring at her, but she did not care, she was showing school pride.

Ria, Angelina, Alicia, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were all sitting in a row in the stands. They were sitting in the midst of a crowd of people from Beauxbatons, because they had wanted to make sure that they stood out. Each one was wearing robes that had been split down the middle and sewn together with other ones, one side was yellow and black for Hufflepuff, and the other side was red and gold for Gryffindor. The girl's finger tails were painted the same way; one hand was devoted to Hufflepuff, the other for Gryffindor. They each had yellow, black, red, and gold ribbons in their hair, and each had a Gryffindor lion painted on one cheek and a Hufflepuff badger on the other. Ria had also, by some kind of luck and persuasive skills, persuaded Professor Dumbledore to allow her to borrow the Hogwarts Sorting Hat for the tournament. The hat sat proudly on her head, as she and it belted out the Hogwarts school song in a not so perfect harmony.

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald,_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling,_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot!"_ the two belted out.

A Beauxbatons girl turned around and stared at them.

"Oh shove off." Fred Weasley said.

Ria laughed, "Oh ssh, it's starting!"

Cedric walked out onto the field. Ria stood up and cheer loudly. He waved at her briefly before looking for the dragon.

Ria looked and saw it at the far end of the field. She sat down in her seat and started to chew her fingernails as Cedric neared the dragon. She was nervous and scared for him, and she wasn't embarrassed to admit it.

Fred must have noticed because he reached forward and grabbed her hand, "It's ok, Charlie's here, he'll make sure nothing happens to any of them."

"I don't care about the others, just Harry and Cedric." Ria muttered bitterly.

Fred shook his head, but did not let go of her hand. Ria had nothing to bite now, so she started tapping her foot in nervousness.

George stepped on her foot.

"Guys, I can't help it, I'm nervous."

"We know that, but try to find some other way to channel it."

Ria rolled her eyes, but intertwined her fingers with each of the twins and squeezed their hands tightly.

"Are you trying to draw blood?"

Ria ignored George's comment and stared down at the field.

Cedric transfigured a rock into a Labrador and the dragon took the bait, as the dragon was going after the rock, or dog however you chose to look at it, Cedric tried to get to the golden egg. Halfway there though, the dragon changed its mind and started to head after Cedric again.

Ria freaked. She shut her eyes and buried her head into Fred's shoulder, "Tell me when it's over."

Fred nodded, but Ria's head snapped up to stare at Cedric again.

"I can't look away."

The dragon blew some fire at Cedric.

"He's going to die!" Ria gasped.

"No one is going to die, Dumbledore said so."

"What if Dumbledore was wrong Fred?"

"Dumbledore's never wrong."

"Deep breaths, Ria." Angelina commanded.

Ria started breathing very deeply, "I am in my happy place, I am in my happy place, nothing can hurt me, nothing can hurt me in my happy place. I am safe here; I am safe in my happy place. Deep breaths, in…out…in…out…in …out… Ok, I think I'm good now."

Ria looked to the field again just in time to see Cedric grab the golden egg, dragon handlers, Charlie Weasley included, rushed forward to hold the dragon back. Ria smiled, Cedric was safe and that was the only thing that mattered, for now, she was going to have to go through all of this again when Harry came out onto the field to defeat his dragon. Ria was more worried for him because he was younger, and she had no idea how he was going to get past his dragon. He could not transfigure something, because he was not that advanced in transfiguration yet.

While the two champions from the opposing schools faced their dragons, Ria went to the medic tent to see how Cedric was doing.

On her way in she walked past Cho Chang, Ria hated the girl, she had been hanging around Cedric since he had become a champion, and Ria could tell that Cho only liked Cedric because he was cute and popular, but he was so much more than that.

"Hey you." She said as she entered the tent.

Cedric sat up gingerly and waved.

"How ya feelin? The dragon got you pretty good."

Cedric smiled, "Nothing Madame Pomfry can't take care of."

Ria's eyes teared up as she ran toward Cedric and threw her arms around his neck, crying into his strong shoulders.

"Hey, it's ok." He said softly. He ran his fingers through her long brown hair. "It's going to be ok."

Ria shook her head.

"I promise you it will be ok."

"Promise me you'll be ok."

"Ria, you heard Dumbledore, the tournament is a lot safer now, no one is going to get hurt and if they do, Madame Pomfry is here to heal them, nothing is going to happen."

"Promise me."

"Why?"

"Just promise me, Cedric."

Cedric sighed, "I promise Ri, but I don't know why I have to,"

"Because!" Ria cried forcefully into his shoulder, "Don't you get it?"

"No Ri, I don't get it, what is there to get?"

"Sure, Dumbledore said that no one would get hurt, but he also said that no one below the age of seventeen would be able to put their name in the goblet. Not only was Harry's name in the Goblet, but he was named a fourth champion, there are only three schools! There is something weird going on here, I don't know what it is and what will happen, but I can almost guarantee that Dumbledore is no longer in control of the tournament. I want you to be careful, because…as much as I love Harry, usually when something extraordinary happens around him it means that You-Know-Who is behind it. I don't know if he is this time, but I want you to be careful!"

Cedric sighed, he had no idea that all of this was running around in Ria's head.

"Why didn't you tell me all this before?"

"I only just realized it as I watched you face the dragon. I'm worried about you Cedric… all of you!"

Cedric pulled her closer to him, "I promise you that nothing will happen to me, or Harry, I'll make sure of that. I promise."

Ria looked up at him through her teary eyes.

Cedric smiled at her lovingly and unwrapped one of his arms from her, just enough to wipe the tears out of her eyes.

She smiled up at him.

The two stared at each other and slowly began to lean in closer to one another without realizing it.

"Hurry! Harry's up!" James yelled as he ran into the tent, "Oh sorry, I did not mean to interrupt."

James quickly backed out of the tent.

Embarrassed, the two friends pulled quickly away from each other, both looking in opposite directions and refusing to meet the other's eyes.

"Well you better-"

"Yeah."

With a quick hug and a small wave Ria ran out of the tent and onto the field, leaving Cedric to wonder.

Cedric sat on the camp bed and thought about what had just happened. He had been about to kiss Ria, his best friend. And she had seemed like she was about ready to kiss him too. But was she really? Or was she just going to hug him again?

_No _Cedric thought, if she had been about to hug him she would not have been so embarrassed when James came in, she was about to kiss him too.

What would have happened if James had not come? Would they have kissed? Would they have done what Cedric had been thinking about for a while? Would he have finally been able to feel what it felt like to kiss the alluring Ria Everard.

He shook his head, now was not the time to be thinking about what might have been, he should be thinking about what was going to happen with the whole tournament thing. Ria was right, something bad could be happening and he, Cedric, was caught right in the middle of it.

* * *

Again Ria ran into the medic tent, this time to see how Harry was doing, he was the youngest contestant, but had been able to get his egg the fastest, although he had smashed some of the real eggs in the process. 

"Way to go Potter! You're tied for first place! You were so great! How is your arm?" she squealed in one breath as she threw her arms around his neck.

Harry laughed, "Thanks! I know! Thanks again. And fine, Madame Pomfry fixed it right up."

Ria smiled at him and gave him an extra tight squeeze.

"I was so worried about you."

"I know, I could see you biting your nails from the air."

Ria smiled, "I'm glad you are ok."

"Me too."

Ria smiled at Harry's two friends, "Wasn't he great?"

Ron and Hermione nodded and smiled.

That's when Ria noticed Ron.

"You." She said with a glare that could scare Snape, "Why are you so selfish? All you cared about was yourself! You didn't even seem to realize that maybe Harry didn't even want to be in this stupid thing! If you weren't Fred and George's little brother I swear I would punch you."

"Ri." Harry said, gently grabbing her arm, "It's ok, he apologized, we're good now."

Ria shook her head, "You're way more forgiving then I will ever be."

"Thank Merlin." Ron said softly.

Ria laughed, "Hey Wealsey, I'm sorry, it's just-"

"I know, you care him, I understand." Ron said, cutting her off.

Ria smiled, "I don't get why the twins are always complaining about you, you're really not that bad."

"Thanks – wait the twins complain about me?"

Ria laughed and turned back to Harry, lovingly fluffing his pillows as the judges walked into the tent.

The other champions came in also.

Cedric, whose face was covered with some weird orange goop walked over to Ria and Harry.

"Good one, Harry." He said with a grin.

Harry grinned back, "And you."

Ria grinned and wrapped her arms around both of them, "Good job to both of you." She whispered in their ears.

"Well done, _all_ of you." Ludo Bagman said.

Ria glared at Ludo, he avoided making eye contact with her.

"Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth – but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open…see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg – because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"

"There's going to be a party in the common room, come on." Ron said to Harry.

Harry turned to Ria, "You coming?"

She nodded, "I'll be there soon, I just want to spend some time with Ceddy, if that's ok?"

Harry nodded.

Ria hugged him again, "Good job…again! I'm proud of you!"

Harry nodded and walked away.

Cedric smiled at her, "You could have gone you know."

"You don't need to tell me that, I know I could have, but they'll still be partying at four tomorrow morning, but I won't be able to see you then, I _can_ see you now."

Cedric nodded, "Thanks."

Ria nodded, "What are friends for?"

Cedric wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Let's go for a walk."

"Yes, let us go!" Ria said happily.

As they left the tent a blinding flash appeared in their faces.

"Hey!" Ria cried as she covered her eyes.

"Two love birds going for a stroll after the first task. I wonder if young Harry knows that his crush of four years has found an interest in the cuter, much older Hogwarts Champion, Cedric Diggory." A voice said.

Cedric glared at the woman, "Get out of here."

Rita, ignoring Cedric turned to Ria, "What is your name, love? Does Harry know of your romance with Mister Diggory?"

It was Ria's turn to glare at the woman, "Why you evil cow! You leave Harry alone! He has enough to deal with already, he does not need you making his life a living hell!"

Rita seemed taken aback and even backed away.

"And if I see even a shred of this in some magazine or newspaper I swear I will sue you for everything you're worth…even though that is not much!"

Rita backed further away, "I'm sorry to have bothered you." With that, she ran.

Cedric laughed, "Way to go Ria."

Ria smiled, "I tell you, it's a gift."

"You're the best."

"No, you are."

Cedric smirked, "You can tell me that when I win the tournament."

"I most certainly will!"

Cedric laughed, "I love you, Ri."

"I love you too, Ceddy…I mean like a friend or a brother or a..yeah."

* * *

**I would like to thank those who have reviewed and shame those who have not. I would really appreciate if you guys would review to tell me what you thought. Constructive criticism would be nice, but please don't be too mean…Flowers for those who reviewed!**

**Angelic Dawn: Thank you so much for the message! I'm glad you like the story, and ****I hope that I did better on the whole quote thing, let me know! Thanks****again. (Insert favorite flower here)**

**WonderfulFantasy: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it! I hope you like this one as well. (Insert favorite flower here)**

**LJSkywalker: I have no idea what you're talking about, but you must know what ****you're talking about. LOL. I'm glad you like it! I hope you liked this ****one. (Insert favorite flower here)**

**Soccer-Bitch: Cool name. Here's the next installment! I'm glad you like it! I hope ****that you like this one as well. Thanks for the review!****(Insert favorite flower here)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm sorry it took so long for this to come out, I was on vacation and unable to post. I do not own the song or any of the characters in this story besides Ria and James, so feel free to write about the others, but take Ria and James, and you're dead. I hope you like this installment and thanks to those who reviewed, I don't have time to go through all of them right now, but thanks!

* * *

**

It was early December and Ria's classes were as boring as ever. She could not wait until Christmas vacation. She would, of course, be staying at the castle for the break, she always did. She didn't get along with her aunt and uncle very well, so she spent the least amount of time possible with them. The castle was buzzing with news of some ball set for Christmas Eve. Apparently, during the Triwizard Tournament, there was a ball on Christmas, it was called the Yule Ball. The champions would have to open the ball with a dance. Ria could not help but laugh when she saw how nervous Harry had been when he had found this out.

He had started taking secret passageways to get around the castle in order to avoid getting cornered by rather large third years that were looking for an older date to get them into the dance.

"Ria!

Ria turned to see Cedric running towards her.

"What's up Ceddy?"

"I was wondering if, well you know – the Yule Ball, and – er – I know you do not really like dances and junk, but I was wondering if you were planning to go or not."

"I don't know, I was thinking about going, but if I do, I want to go by myself, it's so much more fun that way, you know?"

"Of course." Cedric said softly.

"So who are you going to ask?"

"Wha? Oh, who am I taking?"

"That's what I just asked."

Cedric looked around, "I was going to as Cho." He said as he spotted her.

"Cho? As in Cho Chang?"

"Yes?" the girl in question, asked as she approached.

Ria's eyes narrowed as she watched Cho flirt with Cedric.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Yule Ball with me."

Cho smiled rather largely, "Really, you want to go with me?"

Cedric nodded embarrassedly.

"Of course I will!"

Cho threw her arms around Cedric; Ria caught his eye and made a soft gagging sound. He shrugged.

"Well, I can um see that my services are no longer needed, so I'm going to go." Ria said softly as she turned to walk away.

"Ria! Wait!"

But Ria ignored Cedric's response and continued to walk down the corridor. If she had known that Cedric would ask Chang to go to the ball with him, she would have asked him to go. Cedric was a nice enough guy that he would not say no if his best friend asked him to go to the ball with her. She sighed as she walked into the Gryffindor common room; she didn't really understand why the fact that Cedric had asked Cho to go to the dance with him bothered her so much. So everyone was wrong when they told her that Cedric liked her, it's not like she really cared. It's not as though she liked him. She was just upset because he had a date to the ball, and she didn't. But was that really right?

"No." she said, answering her own unasked question.

Ria realized after a while that she did not want to go to the dance alone. So although, she could not believe that she was doing this, she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and wrote to the man that she hadn't talked to since the beginning of the summer.

_Dear Oliver,_

_I can not believe that I'm doing this, but I need some help. I'm not in any physical danger, so please do not come barging into the school trying to be my Prince Charming or anything. It's just … I'm sure that you of all people have heard about the Triwizard Tournament that is taking place at Hogwarts, am I right? Of course I am, but anyways, there's this thing called the Yule Ball, and while I was being stubborn and not asking Cedric to go with me, he asked Cho Chang! I hate her! I hate her so much, and I don't even know why. I guess it's because I feel like she's taking my best friend away, but if that's why, I have no right to be angry at Cedric about it, after all, he probably felt the same way when I started dating you. But back to the point. I do not really want to go to the ball alone, but there is no one else that I really could think of going with, so … consider this an invitation to go with yours truly. I'm not sure if you will find this offer appealing, but think of it as a chance to save a damsel in distress. If you can come, that's great, if not, that's ok. Just let me know either way. And drop me a note every once in a while. I mean it won't kill you to pick up a quill and write to one of your favorite people in the whole entire world would it?_

_Much Love,_

_Ria._

Ria could not believe that she had just done that, Oliver and her were just friends, and yet here she was sending him a letter inviting him to go to the ball with her. She could tare it up right now and no one would ever know about it, but she couldn't. She found herself walking up to the owlry with the parchment and tying it to the ankle of her owl Gypsy.

Instead of watching Gypsy fly out of sight, as she usually did, Ria left the owlry as soon as the owl had flown out of the window.

She walked back down to the Gryffindor common room and sat in one of the red comfy chairs in front of the fire. She should have started her homework, she had a huge essay due for Snape, but she didn't feel like working. Ria laughed, "Since when have I become so _rebellious_?" she asked herself.

"You always have been rebellious, Ria."

Ria turned around to see Fred Weasley standing behind her. She smiled, "Well if it isn't Mister Fred Weasley, one of my favorite Weasleys in the whole entire world."

Fred laughed, "I bet you say that to all the Weasleys."

"Not Percy, that boy's a prick."

"Funny, I thought that you loved him."

Ria threw a pillow at Fred's head and narrowly missed, "It was a very … VERY small crush. That's it! There was nothing. And I certainly did not love him. If I ever loved any of your brothers it was Charlie, he's one of my heroes."

"So who are you going to the Yule Ball with?" Fred asked, completely changing the subject.

"Alone, or with someone."

"Well I assumed that."

"How about you? Who are you going with Mister Weasley?"

"Alone or with someone."

"Well, that I assumed."

"But seriously, do you have a certain someone that you wish to go with?"

"I did, but he asked someone else."

"Cedric?"

"Yep."

"So you're going alone?"

"Possibly."

"Possibly?"

"Yeah."

"You're not making any sense Ria."

"I know."

"Then please, make sense of this."

"I can't go to the ball with you because I've already asked someone, I'm just waiting for a response. But I will save quite a few dances for you guys."

Fred nodded, "That's acceptable."

"I'm glad."

"Well, I'm going to leave you to try to be rebellious and then cave and do whatever it is you're avoiding doing."

Ria shook her head, he knew her too well. She probably would cave within the hour and do that essay for Snape, but that didn't mean that she had to enjoy doing it. Ria smiled at her five-year-old mind frame and pulled out her potions book.

Now for the essay.

* * *

It was the night of the ball and Ria had yet to hear from Oliver. She was beginning to think that she really was going to have to go to the ball alone. Most of her other friends already had dates. Harry had asked her to go with him, but she had said no, it would be weird to have a fourth year take her, no matter how much she loved the boy, Harry was still three years younger than her.

Ria's hair had been pulled into a brilliant up due on the top of her head, with strands of curled hair cascading down from it. She had to admit that the girls had done wonders. Angelina, Alicia, and a few other girls had bombarded Ria and forced her to let them do her hair and her make-up. Although she somewhat looked the same, she also looked like a completely different person. She wasn't sure if she liked that or not.

There was a knock on the door as she slid into her midnight blue dress robes that were more dress than robe. They fell elegantly down to her feet, and swished when she moved. There were small diamonds sewn into the fabric to look like stars, they were really beautiful. Ria had to admit that, even though they made her feel slightly uncomfortable, they were beautiful.

Ria opened the door and saw James floating outside of it on his broom, "Can I come in?"

Ria nodded and moved aside and the boy flew into the room before gracefully jumping off of the broom and onto the floor, "You look beautiful."

Ria smiled and looked him over, her was wearing a pair of dark green dress robes, the dark green pulled the green of his eyes out and made them even more noticeable, "You don't look half bad yourself."

James took a step toward her, "Listen, I know that I'm not the guy that you originally hoped to go to the dance with, but I can't bear to see such a beautiful creature go to a ball alone, so I was wondering if you would do me the honor of escorting you to the ball."

Ria nodded, "I would like that James."

James smiled, "Well then, let's go, we don't want to be late for the opening dance."

Ria could not help but think that she would not mind missing the whole ball, but she did not share this thought with James. The pair stepped out of the room together and sensing that James was indeed a boy, the stairs turned into a slide and the two friends slid down to the bottom, laughing the whole way.

James helped her up and held out his arm to her, "Miss Everard?"

Ria laughed and took his arm, "Mister Foley."

James led her down to the Great Hall, the two arrived just a the doors opened and everyone was allowed in. As she entered the Great Hall Ria could feel someone's eyes on her, but she could not tell whose. She was unaware that a boy was standing a few feet behind her wishing that he had asked her as opposed to the annoying witch standing next to him.

"I think everyone's jealous." James whispered in her ear.

"Of me?"

James nodded.

"They would only be jealous of me because I'm here with you."

"Well, in that case … everyone's jealous of me."

Ria smiled, "You really didn't have to do this James."

"Yes I did."

"No you -"

"Yes I did," James said, cutting her off, "You're my friend, and I hate seeing you upset, and that's what you were … upset. I would do anything to make you happy again, I think that maybe, just maybe I have."

Ria hugged him, "You have James, you really have."

The students sat down at round tables to eat before the ball; James and Ria sat with Angelina, George, Fred, Alicia, Ron, and Padma. Ron looked disgruntled, and Ria could only assume that it had to do with his dress robes, that is until she looked up at the head table and saw Hermione sitting with Viktor Krum.

Ria felt a different emotion from Ron's when she noticed this, she squealed, "Aww, they are so cute together!"

Ron glared at her; he did not seem to agree with her sentiment. Ria looked further down the head table and saw Harry looking bored to death as Percy talked his ear off. She leaned toward Fred and George and whispered, "The prick is here."

The twins laughed and started making faces at Percy, but he was too busy acting important to notice his two younger brothers making fun of him.

After the food disappeared the champions took to the floor for the opening dance; Ria watched Cho and Cedric very closely. Cedric seemed as though he was bored and did not want to be at the ball at all. Cho appeared to be trying to engage him in some witty conversation that did not seem very witty for Cedric looked annoyed. Ria could not help but think that he would have had more fun with her, but she had blown it.

After the dance, Cedric quickly detached himself from Cho and made his way toward Ria and the rest of the group. "Ria?" he asked. Ria nodded with a smile.

"Wow you look beautiful."

"Thanks. So do you."

Cedric laughed, "I was wondering if you wanted to dance with me."

Cho looked surprised and upset.

Ria looked toward James to see if he minded. James gave her a slight nod, and Ria nodded to Cedric, "I'd like that."

Cedric led her out onto the dance floor as a new song started. Ria recognized this song and looked around the hall; they were playing muggle music. She could not believe this.

"I love this song." She whispered.

"What's it called again? I think I've heard you singing it before."

"I'll Be by Edwin McCain."

Cedric nodded as the pair began to dance, "It's a nice song."

But Ria didn't answer; she was already lost in the song.

The Strands in your eyes that color them wonderful 

_Stop me and steal my breath_

_Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky_

_Never revealing their depth_

_Tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated_

_I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be your love suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_Rain falls angry on the tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_You're my survival, you're my living proof_

_My love is alive, not dead_

_Tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated_

_I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above._

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be your love suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead_

_Tuned it, turned on, remembered the things that you said_

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be your love suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be your love suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_The greatest fan of your life._

As the song ended Ria pulled away.

"Did you really come alone?"

Ria looked up at Cedric and shook her head.

"You didn't?"

She nodded.

"But you said you were going to. Was that just your way of saying that you didn't want to go with me?"

And that's when it clicked. Earlier that month when Cedric had asked her if she was going to the dance with someone he had been gauging whether or not to ask her to go with him. Why had she not figured that out earlier. That would have been much simpler. Merlin, she sucked when it came to boys, why hadn't she been blessed with the knowledge of guys? Why hadn't she been one of the lucky ones?

"Cedric, it's not like that, it's just that -"

"Who'd you come with?"

"What?"

"Who was your date?"

"James."

"What?"

Ria had whispered it, so Cedric had not heard properly.

"Ced, can't we talk about this later?"

"No, I want to talk about it now."

"Fine. But do we have to talk about it here?"

"We can go outside."

Despite the fact that he was mad at her, Cedric took Ria's arm gently and pulled her toward the door. When they walked outside Ria saw one of the prettiest sights she had ever seen before. A snow covered garden with pathways and fairies to light the way. If Cedric had not been mad at her, this would have been a very romantic place to walk around and talk.

"Ok, we're outside, who'd you come with?"

"James."

"James?"

"That's what I said, idiot."

"So they are right?"

"What? Who?"

"Angelina and Alicia. I've heard them talking about how they think that you and James like each other and that sooner or later you were going to start dating."

Ria started laughing.

"Ri, this is not funny."

"They're wrong, and so are you."

"What do you mean?"

"James and I do not like each other and we have never nor will we ever date."

"Why not?"

"You mean, you don't know?"

"Don't know what?"

"Cedric, he's gay."

"That's beside the point."

"No, I mean, he likes guys, not girls."

"Really?"

"Yeah, now do you see why we don't like each other."

"You went to the dance with a gay guy?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he's my friend and we both didn't want to go alone."

"But he's gay."

Ria could not believe that she was hearing this, Cedric who always seemed so open-minded was making fun of James for being gay. She had thought that Cedric was better than that.

"You're a jerk." She whispered before turning around and walking back into the castle.

* * *

"What's wrong?" James asked when Ria walked back into the Great Hall.

"Nothing."

"Where's Cedric?"

"Hell if I know."

"Are you guys fighting?"

"Yes."

"Ok then, do you want to dance?"

Ria nodded.

"Good, because Harry's looking for a partner."

"You mean that you don't want to dance with me?"

"I hate dancing, plus I think I'm going to go back to the common room."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

Ria hugged him and then turned to Harry, "You ready to dance?"

Harry looked unsure for a moment, but then he nodded and led Ria onto the dance floor.

Ria danced to three songs with Harry, and three with each of the twins, and then she went to sit down at the table, but she wasn't sitting for long.

"Is this seat taken?" a deep voice asked.

"No."

Ria turned to look at the man that was sitting in the chair next to her and smiled, "I didn't think you would come."

"And miss a chance to save a damsel in distress? No way."

"But you didn't write back and tell me you were coming."

"You know how much I hate writing."

Ria laughed, "I missed you, Oliver."

"I missed you too."

The pair sat in silence for a while, they were just happy to be in each other's company. It wasn't an awkward silence or anything it was comfortable.

"So do you want to dance?"

Ria smiled, "I thought you hated dancing."

"Not with you."

"So you'll dance with me, even though you hate it, but you won't write to me?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"But it does if you think about it."

"No it doesn't."

"If I'm dancing, I'm dancing _with_ you. If I'm writing, I'm writing alone."

"But you're writing to me."

"I'm still alone. I'd be writing _to_ you, not _with_ you."

"I guess that that almost does make sense."

"See, I told you that it makes sense if you think about it."

Ria nodded, she had really missed conversations with Oliver, contrary to popular belief, the guy could talk about other things besides quidditch.

"So are we going to dance or not?"

* * *

After the ball, Oliver walked Ria back to the Gryffindor Common Room. About halfway there he reached out and gently took Ria's hand in his. Surprisingly, she did not pull away; she smiled slightly and gave his hand a small squeeze.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Oliver."

"I know, who wouldn't have fun with me?"

Ria reached out and gently smacked his arm.

Oliver laughed and pulled her into a tight hug. Ria sighed deeply and hugged back, burying her head into his dress robes. She breathed in deeply and took in as much of his scent as she could. No matter how much the two denied it, there was still something left from their relationship. A bond or something. Oliver had always, and would always make Ria feel safe.

While they were hugging, Oliver gently slipped something into the pocket of Ria's dress robes, she didn't realize it, but she would soon.

"I love you, River." Oliver said, referring to the fact that Ria meant river in Spanish.

"I love you too, Ollie."

Oliver laughed at the name that Ria had called him since she first met him when the two were four and five, "I forgot that you called me that."

"You forgot? How could you? I am very hurt right now, I can't believe this!" Ria said dramatically.

"Oh, shut it."

Ria laughed, "Make me."

"Do you really want me to?"

Ria shook her head and then turned toward the portrait hole, "I have to go, you know … curfew."

Oliver nodded, "I hope to see you soon."

Ria flashed him the peace sign, "Later."

As she made her way up to the girls' dormitory Ria slipped her hand into the pocket of her dress robes and felt something. She pulled out an envelope made out of heavy parchment, she couldn't remember if she had put it in her pocket or not, but as she turned it over she knew that she hadn't.

The envelope was addressed to her:

Ria Everard 

_The prettiest girl in Gryffindor Tower_

_Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Ria's hands shook as she sat down on the steps and opened the envelope, she had recognized the handwriting on the envelope, but she could not figure out why they had written her a letter. He hated writing, and he had just seen her. 

_Ria,_

_I know you're confused aren't you? If everything went the way it was supposed to, I came to the Yule ball and saved the damsel in distress from a boring night alone, although knowing you, it would not have been boring, and you would not have been alone for long. Am I right? Of course I am. Well, I guess picking up a quill and writing to one of my most favorite people on the whole entire planet was not that hard, it didn't kill me, but it might. You should feel honored; I'm risking my life for you, Ria Everard. Ok, so I'm stalling and I know it. It's just, since I left Hogwarts, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. You're the girl I compare all others to. You're the one that stands out in my mind the most. And as cheesy as this sounds, I've been looking for another you. I haven't found one yet, you're just too bloody unique. Damn you for that. But after receiving your letter, I realized something. I don't want another Ria. I want THE Ria. The one I've known since I was five. When people ask if I like you, I tell them that you're like my little sister, but that's a lie. It's wrong to love a sister the way I love you. And I realized tonight that I never want you to be the damsel in distress again. I don't want you to have to go to another dance alone. I don't want you to ever feel hurt again. So whenever you go to a dance or anything else, remember to save a dance for me. I'll be there. I'll always be there for you._

_Now, I know I'm no Cedric Diggery. But I hope that you might consider me a worthy replacement. If not, just tell me, and we can go back to the way we were; me: happily loving you and watching you from afar. And you: blissfully unaware of my affections. I would be perfectly happy to just know that you considered me as a friend._

_I'm waiting for a reply …_

_Love,_

_Oliver_

Ria stared down at the letter in her hands, she could not believe what she had just read. She had to read the letter four more times before she was sure of what she had read.

She sighed and hit her head up against the wall behind her, when had life gotten so complicated?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I do not nor will I ever own any of the recognizable charactors, they all belong to the beautiful J.K. Rowling. I do however own Ria and James, and you know what ... you can't touch them! That's right! Can't touch this! - Sorry I'm a little hyper...**

**Please feel free to enjoy the fourth installment of I'll Be - a Cedric Diggory story!

* * *

**

Ria sat down at a table by the roaring fire in Gryffindor Tower, and pulled a piece of parchment toward her, "When did life get so bloody complicated?" she asked herself for the one hundredth time that night. 

Most of the students hadn't gotten back after their after-ball escapades, so Ria had the common room to herself. That's the way she liked it – quiet. It was much easier to think that way.

_Dear Oliver,_

_Wow, I'm glad writing that letter didn't kill you, I don't know what I would have done without my Ollie. Thank-you for coming to my rescue tonight, you will now forever and always be known as my Prince Charming, my rescuer. I know you didn't mean to, but you have made some things very difficult for me, Ol. I love you, but not the way that you love me. We tried that once, and although it was fun – even you admitted that it felt like you were dating your sister. I think that since then you have forgotten that statement. As for looking for another me, I don't think you were really doing that – not that I'm calling you a liar – but what I think you were looking for is someone that you feel comfortable with. You're never going to find a girl that you're comfortable with if you keep comparing them all to me – or what you remember of me. You need to let me go, find a new damsel in distress – just don't forget me when I need you! – fall in love Oliver, trust me, it feels great! If that doesn't answer your question, I will spell it out, I want to be blissfully unaware of your affections again, it was easier that way. And don't worry I will always count you as one of my friends, one of the very best! I love you Ol,_

_Love always,_

_Ria._

Ria sent her owl off with the letter and specific instructions to peck Oliver to death or until he sent a reply.

She hated doing this to Oliver, she did love him, but she didn't love him romantically, she didn't love him the way she loved Cedric. She didn't even know if she loved Cedric, but that was the only way she could think of using to describe the way she felt for him.

- - -

"Ria, are you ever going to talk to me?"

Ria kept walking down the hallway towards her potions class, ignoring yet another of Cedric's attempts to get her to talk to him. She hadn't talked to him since the Yule Ball, although she did still give him his Christmas present – wordlessly of course.

"Ri? Please?"

Ria whipped her head around to face Cedric; "Do you know what I hate the most about you, Diggory?"

Cedric's face was split into a happy grin; he knew what was coming next, "My sparkling personality and my dashing good looks?"

Ria shook her head and opened her mouth –

"Cedric, you haven't talked to me since the ball, I was beginning to wonder if you were trying to avoid me."

That's not what she was supposed to say, Cedric looked at Ria apologetically before turning to look at Cho Chang who was running down the hallway to embrace him, "Actually Cho, I was – er – avoiding you."

"Oh." Cho said delicately.

"I was talking to Ria, so if you don't mind -" but as Cedric turned around he caught a glimpse of Ria's long brown hair flying around a corner. She was gone, and he probably wouldn't get another chance.

He sighed, "Time to take a leaf out of Potter's book," with that he took off down the hallway after his best friend, hoping for the best.

"Diffindo!"

He heard Ria's scream of anger as her book bag spilt in half and all of her books fell to the ground, Potter had been on to something, this was a good way to get someone off on their own so that you could talk to them. Instead of helping her, the other students just kept walking; some Slytherins even went as far as to kick her books further away from her. Within moments just Cedric and Ria were in the hallway.

"Here let me help you."

Ria looked up to see Cedric bending down to help her collect her books. She rolled her eyes; "I was wondering when you would come to help me."

Cedric smirked, "What do you mean by that?"

Ria snorted, "You know full-well what I mean, I mean that I know that you were the one that split my bag in half in the first place."

"You can't prove that."

"The saleswitch told me that the only way this bag would split was if someone caused it to by using magic. And I don't know why anyone else would feel the need to split my bag in half."

"You think that I would have a need to do that?"

"Yep."

"Okay, then, what was my motive?"

"To get me alone in a dark, deserted hallway so that you can have your way with me, clearly."

"Yes, clearly."

"Don't laugh, I always knew that you had a hidden rapist in you – somewhere."

"Of course, that makes perfect sense."

"Okay, so I'm not doing so well at explaining why you wanted to split my bag in half, so why don't you clarify for me, so that I can stop making a fool out of myself."

Cedric looked around the hallway to make sure that there weren't any professors around, "Do you want to get out of here?"

"Ahah! I knew it! I knew there was an inner-rapist in you!"

Cedric clapped his hand over Ria's mouth, "Sssh, no there is no _inner-rapist_ I was just thinking that it had been a while since we had skipped school, and I was wondering if you'd like to fly down to Hogsmede, and maybe go to The Three Broomsticks or something, I'm really missing Butterbeer."

Ria smirked, "Fly down to Hogsmede? My my my, Cedric, when did you become such a romantic?"

She turned to pick up some more books before she could see Cedric's smirk, and by the time that she turned back he had it under control and hidden.

"So do you want to go or am I going to be forced to go alone?"

"Did you really think that I was going to give up a free butterbeer?"

"Who said anything about it being free?"

Ria hit Cedric playfully on the shoulder; "You are such a mood-killer."

"A mood-killer?"

"Yeah, you were just making me feel special, like a date I guess, but now you're going to make me buy my own butterbeer? How rude."

"Oh yes, how rude of me. First I split your bag in half, and then I tell you that you have to pay for your own butterbeer."

Ria nodded as if it was the rudest thing that had ever happened to her, although it wasn't – not by a long shot.

"You owe me one, because of my bag, I can't use it anymore, how will I carry my books now?"

"Get some lovesick lad to carry them for you."

Ria smiled playfully, "So, you'll carry them, right?"

Cedric laughed, "Of course."

"And I won't have to pay for my butterbeer?"

"No."

"And you'll buy me a new book bag so that you don't have to carry my books around all the time?"

"Of course."

"Sweet deal!"

"Deal, what kind of deal is that? What's in it for me?"

"You, my darling little rapist might possibly get a kiss."

Cedric smiled, "Stop calling me a rapist."

"Fine, spoil my fun."

"I will."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

- - -

"So you never told me what you hated the most about me." Cedric reminded Ria.

She was sitting across the table from him, sipping out of her warm butterbeer, "I didn't?"

He shook his head, "No, someone that I have been trying to avoid interrupted you."

"Oh yeah."

"So what is it?"

"You're so stubborn! I hate it! I was supposed to be mad at you for at least another week, but you're just so bloody stubborn, you wouldn't leave me alone, and then you made me skip potions -"

"Wait – I made you skip potions?"

"Ok, so you didn't make me skip potions, but still I'm supposed to be mad at you."

"Why be mad? It's so much more fun to be happy."

Ria smiled at him from over the table; "I missed talking to you."

Cedric reached across the table for her hand; "I missed you too."

She hadn't said it, but he knew that when she said that she had missed talking to him she meant that she missed him.

Ria looked down at his watch, "Bloody Hell, it's almost dinner, we should go now, eventually they'll notice that we're not on the school grounds."

Cedric nodded and led her out of the pub to his broomstick; she got on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist as he kicked off the ground.

"Whooo hooo!" she yelled as they flew faster and faster towards the huge castle.

As they flew a piece of paper flew out of Ria's pocket it read:

_Good luck with Cedric, Love._

_-Oliver._

- - -

"Have you figured out what the egg means?"

Cedric shook his head, "But for some reason I think I should open it under water."

Ria laughed, "What gave you that crazy idea."

Cedric looked down at his feet, "Just a hunch."

"You're lying Ceddy."

Cedric looked up, he knew that the one thing that Ria hated more than a cheater was a liar. And she hated being lied to even more than she hated liars.

She smiled to show to him that it was alright then she looped her arm through his, "So are you going to tell me the truth now?"

Cedric gulped, "Professor Moody told me."

"Moody? Why?"

"I don't know, but I thought that it was worth a try."

Ria nodded, "It's definitely worth a try."

Cedric nodded as Cedric pushed her into their Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. She wasn't sure if she exactly liked Professor Moody. Granted that he had been there, so he understood more than most, but she wasn't sure if she liked his teaching style.

She shuddered as she remembered when he had shown them the three unforgivable curses. That poor spider.

"It's ok, we probably won't have to see those again." Cedric knew exactly what she was thinking, sometimes it was scary.

Ria wrapped her arms around her upper-torso, "All I can say is that Lupin is still my favorite Defense professor."

"I think he was everybody's."

Ria glanced at the rest of the N.E.W.T. defense class, "Except for the Slytherins'," she said, trying to ignore the winking and other gross gestures sent her way by Marcus Flint. How he had made it into N.E.W.T. classes was beyond her, but it meant that she saw him at least six times a day, not counting meals.

"Class has begun," a gruff voice from the front of the classroom stated. Ria and Cedric quickly rushed to their seats. They were the two seats in the exact middle of the classroom.

"Do you know what it feels like to be under the imperious curse?"

The class shook their heads, staring at their professor with wide eyes; no one was exactly sure what he was planning to do, but it scared them slightly.

"Good, neither do half the people who say that they were under the imperious curse while doing the dark Lord's bidding. They're spineless if you ask me."

Ria was beginning to get scared, she was sure that this man was insane, what exactly was he going to do to the class?

"Miss Everard, you seem like a willing participant, would you please come up to the front of the classroom?"

Ria slowly got out of her seat and forced herself down the aisle to the front of the classroom, anything but willing.

"Thank-you."

Ria gulped and nodded, she didn't really trust herself to answer. She heard Moody moving around behind her and she glanced at Cedric; he looked confused and – was that worry? Ria stopped herself from wondering if he was worried about her for any other reason besides the fact that they were friends. He couldn't like he that way.

"Imperious."

Wait! What? Did he just say what I think he said? He did **NOT** just use an unforgivable curse on me! Ria thought.

_Slap Cedric Diggory._

Ria started to move toward Cedric, wait! What was she doing? He was her friend, she would not slap him.

_Slap him!_ The voice commanded.

No, she wouldn't. She would not do it.

Ria had stopped moving forward, but she felt a burning desire to slap her best friend across the face.

_**SLAP HIM!**_

"NO!" Ria yelled.

Barty Crouch Junior was slightly upset when he realized that he would not be able to control the girl through the imperious curse – she was too strong. But he put on a smile for the class, "There it is class, another one that can withstand the imperious, Harry Potter is the only other one that I know of that can do it! Very good, Miss Everard, very good indeed."

The rest of the class burst into applause, except for the Slytherins that is, but Ria didn't care, she just wanted to sit down. And was that anger she had seen in Moody's eyes when she had been able to throw off the curse. It couldn't be – why would he be angry? Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

- - -

"So…"

"So…"

Ria sat down on the side of the prefect's bathtub while Cedric began to fill it up. They were both wearing bathing suits, and Cedric was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of Ria. Her bathing suit really showed off the curves that her school robes hid.

She laughed, "What?"

"What – what?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Why can't I look at you like this?"

"I never said you couldn't, I just wanted to know why you were."

"I've never really seen you in a bathing suit before."

"Oh."

"Yes – oh."

"Do I really look that bad?"

Cedric laughed, "Yes Ria, you look so horrible, I don't think I can bare looking at you." He was lying through his teeth, but he wasn't sure if Ria knew that.

"Really?"

She didn't. He sighed, this was good, if she knew what he really felt then nothing would be the same between them again.

"I was joking Ri, you look good. It's just – it's different from what you usually look like – it's a change, you know how changes take time to get used to."

"Right."

He sighed again, Ria didn't believe him, "You look great Ria, and if I weren't your best friend I would be highly attracted to you right now."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Truthfully?"

"YES!"

"So you're not attracted to me now?"

"Yes."

"Yes what? Yes you are or yes you're not."

"Yes I am."

Ria sucked in her breath, she hadn't really expected that. What should she do now? Should she make a joke out of it? Possibly. Should she say thank-you? No that would be too dorky. Should she tell him that she was attracted to him? No, definitely not! She went with the only thing she could – a joke.

"As long as you don't have wet dreams about me, we'll be fine."

Cedric choked on a laugh. Ria hit herself on her forehead, wet dreams? Where had that come from? Merlin she was stupid!

There was an awkward silence as the bathtub continued to fill up. Ria went around turning on several faucets that spouted out different kinds of bubbles. Her favorite bubbles were the one that spouted out the ice-white foam that was so thick that she could walk on it. She had tried, the first year that she was a prefect she had tried to walk on them and had succeeded, it was the greatest feeling in the world.

"I think it's ready."

Ria nodded and dove into the water. Coming up about seven feet from the wall and quickly fixing her bathing suit so that Cedric wouldn't see anything that she was sure he didn't want to see. Cedric dove in after her, clutching the golden egg in his hands. Ria was sure that it was heavy, but he held it as if it weighed nothing at all.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Ria nodded, and they both took a deep breath before submersing themselves in the water. Cedric opened the egg and they both sat on the bottom of the bathtub.

It was like a choir of eerie voices and they were coming from the egg.

"_Come and seek us where our voices sound,_

_We can not sing above the ground,_

_And while you're searching ponder this:_

_We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

_An hour long you'll have to look,_

_And to recover what we've took,_

_But past an hour – the prospect's black,_

_Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."_

The two friends slowly floated up to the surface of the water. Once their heads broke the surface they stared at each other for a couple seconds. Neither one of them daring to open their mouths.

"That is too weird." Ria said, finally daring to break the silence.

Cedric nodded, it was rather creepy.

"So let me get this straight, something in the lake is going to take something of yours and you'll have an hour to get it back?"

"I guess."

"How will they get it?"

"The teachers will probably give it to them."

"What could they be? What will they take? How will you get it – you can't breath underwater for an hour."

"I don't know. I don't know. And I guess I could use that Bubblehead charm – you know – the one that Flitwick taught us last year."

Ria floated on her back in the water, "I guess we should try to figure out what it is?"

"What they are you mean."

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

Cedric thought, but all he could think of in the lake was the giant squid and as far as he knew there was only one of them – and the song clearly said _we_."

Ria did a flip in the water and started swimming using the butterfly kick. She smiled, "Look! I'm a mermaid!"

Cedric watched her as she happily kicked like a mermaid and flipped through the water. That was when it hit him – mermaids.

"Ria that's it!"

"What's it?"

"Mermaids!"

"Say what?"

"It's mermaids! There are merpeople in the lake! They're going to take something precious that belongs to me. And I'm going to get it back by using the bubblehead charm!"

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"What are they going to take?"

Cedric glanced at her, Ria's eyes sparkled when she got excited, and she was certainly excited now. She looked beautiful, "I have an idea."

"What is it? Tell me! Please?"

Cedric shook his head, she couldn't know that she was the most important thing in his life – that would screw things up, "Never mind."

"What? You can't never mind me!"

"I just did."

"But - "

"You'll find out soon enough, the task is next week."

"But - "

"I have to find a way to tell Potter to take a bath with his egg without sounding weird, so if you would excuse me," Cedric pulled himself out of the bathtub and grabbed a towel.

Ria followed him out and allowed him to wrap a towel around her. He stood behind her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms trying to warm her up – it was cold outside of the bathtub.

She turned around to face him, "I hope you make it Ced."

Cedric suddenly got a vision of him holding the Triwizard Cup above his head triumphantly and Ria standing in a crowd of students, smiling. Then she was running toward him and she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely.

It was then that he knew that he had to win the tournament. It was the only way that he could think of getting Ria to finally notice how he felt about her.

They were so close, their faces were almost touching, he could kiss her right now – he should kiss her right now.

"We should get going, classes tomorrow – you know."

Merlin he was such a chicken, he had the perfect opportunity and all he could say was that they had classes tomorrow. Tomorrow was Saturday why would they have classes?

Ria giggled, "Cedric knows best."

- - -

"Miss Everard?"

"Yes, Professor McGonagall?"

"Would you please follow me?"

"Of course, but where are we going?"

Minerva McGonagall hid a smile, she had always loved Ria Everard, the girl was one of her favorite students – so curious, so cunning – she would go as far as to say that the seventeen year old reminded her of a female James Potter. And everyone knew how much she had adored James Potter.

"It's a surprise, but I can guarantee it'll be worth your time."

"Oooh, I can't wait to see what it is!"

- - -

It was the day of the second task and Cedric couldn't find Ria anywhere. He had asked the twins, and he had asked Ron Weasley, but none of them had seen her. He even went as far as stalking James – maybe James knew where she was – maybe she was mad at him.

But all the stalking James got him was a leg-locker curse until Alicia Spinnet was kind enough to perform the counter-curse.

It seemed as though Ria had just disappeared into thin air, but he knew that that could not happen. She must be in the lake! She must be the thing that he would sorely miss! He sighed, she would soon know exactly how he felt for her.

His journey through the lake was smooth he only ran into a small group of grindylows and a simple stunning spell took care of them.

When he reached the mermaid city he followed the singing voices to the center, Harry was already there, he was just floating as if trying to figure out which hostage was his. Cedric looked at the other hostages and realized why it might be hard for him. Hermione Granger was his friend, Ria was his friend, and everyone knew that he fancied Cho Chang.

He decided that he would make it a little easier for him, he cut Ria free and pulled her lifeless body close to him, it was a little weird to be hugging a lifeless Ria, it was almost as if she was dead – he shuddered, he didn't want to think about that, Ria was always so full of life, as soon as he got out of the lake he wanted to forger how dead she looked right now.

He tapped his watch to warn Harry that time was running out. The younger boy nodded, but made no move to leave. Cedric shook his head, he knew that Ria loved Harry, but the boy was always playing the hero.

As he swam out of the city he passed Krum, Viktor would probably make it easier for Harry, he would take Hermione, everyone knew that he was taken by her – much to the youngest Weasley boy's annoyance.

Cedric swam quickly to the surface and broke it just before the hour finished. Viktor appeared with Hermione shortly after.

As they swam closer to shore Ria finally came to, she looked around and smiled at Cedric. He smiled back, she looked adorable, but she must have been freezing. He helped her out of the water and ignored all the students trying to congratulate him, he led her to Madam Pomfry, she gave them each a warming potion and thick fleece blankets.

Ria let Cedric wrap the blanket around her and then allowed him to pull her onto the same cot as him. She leaned back into his warm body, she sighed contentedly there was nowhere that she would rather be right now.

"Harry still hasn't come out yet, but he was the first one to the hostages." Cedric whispered in her ear.

She turned to look at him, "Do you think he's ok?"

Cedric glanced at the water and saw three peoples' heads emerge from the steel gray surface, "I think he's just fine."

Ria looked toward where Cedric was looking and watched as Fleur Delacore, the champion from Beauxbatons went rushing toward the water to help Harry help a small blond-haired girl out. Once the young girl was off of his hands Harry could devote his whole attention to helping Cho Chang out of the lake.

Ria glared stonily at the girl, "She was his hostage?"

"I guess, I just knew that you were mine." Cedric whispered, pulling Ria closer to him.

"Congratulations Harry!" Ria said throwing her arms around him as he arrived by the rest of the champions and their hostages.

"Thanks Ria!"

"Good job Potter, I hope you get a good score." Cedric said, holding out his hand.

Harry shook it and smiled, "Same to you, Diggory."

Dumbledore stood up, "Congratulations to all the champions!" he said, his voice magically magnified, "Now for the points: Miss Delacore, who failed to finish the task will be in last place. She follows Viktor Krum in third – although he came up second, he was the last of the three to finish the task to reach the hostages."

Ria looked toward Karkaroff and saw him glaring at Dumbledore and the merepeople that were floating neat the surface, his face was almost laughable.

"This brings us to the Hogwarts champions," the headmaster continued, "although they both brought up the wrong hostages – Mister Diggory came up first, so he will get first place. Mister Potter arrived at the hostages first, but I am told that he refused to leave until all the other hostages had been rescued – "

Ria laughed and ruffled Harry's hair, that sounded like her Harry to her – always the hero – the brave one.

"Because of his moral fiber he will receive second place."

Ria clapped, and hugged both of her friends, "Great job, both of you!"

"What does he mean that you both brought up the wrong hostage?" Hermione wondered aloud.

Ria thought about it and glanced from Harry and Cho to Cedric.

Harry … Cho … Cedric.

Harry … **CHO** … Cedric.

That's when it clicked. She jumped off of the cot and out of Cedric's arms, "I thought that you didn't like her!" she hissed.

Cedric jumped to his feet, "What do you mean?"

"You said that you didn't like Cho! Why was she your hostage?"

"I don't know, maybe because we went to the Yule Ball together, the teachers might have thought that I liked her."

Ria shook her head, "I can't believe it, she was your hostage."

"You know, this wouldn't have happened if you had just gone to the Yule Ball with me!"

Ria turned to Cedric, "Well if you had just asked me."

Cedric took a step closer, "I was going to, but you said you wanted to go alone."

Ria took a step closer, "I said I might go alone, if no one asked me!"

"I thought that you were hinting at me – trying to tell me not to ask you!"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know, you're crazy like that!"

Ria took another step closer, they were so close now that she could feel his warm breath fly across her forehead when he spoke, "I'm not crazy, you're the crazy one!"

"I'm only crazy about one thing."

"Oh really, and what's that? If you say Cho I will curse you into the next millennium." Ria said, pulling her wand out.

Cedric reached out and gently cupped her face in his hand, "No, you."

"What?"

"I'm crazy about you. You're so amazing – you're so different from any other girl I know – when I'm with you I'm never bored."

Ria sucked in her breath and stood on her tiptoes, "I'm crazy about you … too."

Cedric smiled at her one last time before leaning down and doing what he had wanted to do for basically his whole life – he kissed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! This is a late Christmas present for all of you. I'm sorry it took me so long to get this out. Just as a warning this installment is going to be a little sappy and a little fluffy, but Cedric and Ria need some of that, so it's all good. _I want to thank everyone for the reviews that convinced me to put this installment up:) Flowers for all of you 3_**

**Dislaimer: The author of this story has no claim to ownership of any of the characters or settings in this story. She is poor and only owns the characters of Ria and James. But if you steal them she will hunt you down... just kidding (or am I?) The author also does not own _I'll Be_, the song that was the inspiration for the title of this fanfic (that belongs to Edwin McCain). She also does not own _I'd Lie_ which is featured in this chapter. That song belongs to Taylor Swift. (The only country singer the author will listen too.)**

**Currently:  
Feeling: warm and comfy, I'm still in my christmas jammies.  
Listenting to: _She's a Lady_ - Forever the Sickest Kids  
Thinking: about my best friend who I might possibly be in love with...**

**_WARNING: THERE ARE ONLY TWO INSTALLMENTS LEFT IN THIS FANFIC, PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE END!_**

* * *

"Do you believe in past lives?" Ria asked softly as she played with Cedric's hair. It was a sunny day and the two of them were sitting under a tree by the black lake.

Cedric looked up from where his head was laying on her lap, "What do you mean?"

Ria looked toward the forest, trying to find a way to turn her random thoughts into comprehensive sentences, "Like, do you believe that when you die, that's it, you're dead, or do you believe that you can come back and do it all over again, another life in another time and place?"

Cedric smiled up at her, "If I could see you in every one of them, I would definitely believe in past lives."

Ria ruffled his hair and laughed, "You have got to be the most corny man I know."

Cedric smirked and snuggled more into her lap, "You know you like it, admit it."

"I will do no such thing!"

"Then I will have to force a confession out of you!" With that, Cedric began to tickle Ria to the point where she was rolling on the ground crying because she was laughing so hard.

She caught his eye and he instantly stopped tickling her, "You are so beautiful," he whispered.

She sat up, "So are you," she pinched his cheek.

He sighed, "When will you admit that you are amazing and beautiful?" 

Ria turned away, "Don't say that, I don't want to hear that I'm beautiful."

Cedric was confused, "Why not?"

"What you think is beautiful, twenty years from now, won't hold the same charm. I want to hear that you will be my best friend first and foremost, my lover second. I want to hear that you will never leave me and that we'll be together for all time."

Cedric smiled, "I promise you that you will always be mine, and I will always be here for you, no matter what. And furthermore I promise that in our next lives I will be there too, I will lov – be there for you forever."

Cedric sighed, he had almost admitted that he loved Ria. He knew he did, but he wasn't sure if she was ready to hear it yet, so he kept it to himself.

Ria smiled and threw her arms around Cedric's neck, "You rock, Ceddy!" And with that she kissed him full on the lips.

Cedric pulled back and looked at her, "Are you sure?" he whispered. The two had been dating since February, but this was their first kiss since the one on the lake in front of the entire school.

Ria bit her lip and nodded. Cedric didn't need any thing else; he leaned in and captured her lips with his again.

- - -

"Ria, can I talk to you?"

Ria looked up from her essay for McGonagall and saw Harry standing in front of her, rather nervously.

"Sure thing, hold on, let me just finish this sentence up."

Harry waited while Ria finished her sentence, cleaned up her parchment and books and brought them upstairs to her dorm room. She came back down the staircase with one of Cedric's hoodies, it may have been mid-April, but it could still get a bit chilly.

"Outside?"

Harry nodded and led the way out of the common room. Ria watched the boy carefully, he hadn't been eating as much lately and he was getting pale, she was worried about him.

Once they were outside of the castle, Ria looped her arm through Harry's and started to slowly walk toward the Black Lake, "What's wrong, Harry?"

"I'm scared."

"About the third task? Well you'd be crazy not to be. Is that all?"

"No, I'm really scared, you know how earlier this year I explained to you that usually when anything weird happens around me it is because of Voldemort?"

"Don't say the name." Ria hissed.

Harry rolled his eyes, but continued, "Sirius, I mean snuffles thinks that Karkaroff is working as a spy and that Volde … you-know-who is hoping that I will die during the tournament.

Ria looked up at the younger boy, "Harry, personally I don't think you have to worry about anything, you've survived through two of the three tasks, you've already beaten You-Know-Who three times, and history tends to repeat itself, and you are a really good wizard. I know, I've heard people saying that it was all luck, but I know you Harry, sure a good deal of it is luck, but you are a skilled wizard and are perfectly capable of handling anything this tournament throws at you. I'm sure of it."

Harry smiled at her, "I bet you'd say that to anyone."

Ria laughed and gave him a one-armed hug, "Yes, but I'd only mean that with you. You're my favorite champion."

"Liar." Harry teased, "What about your precious Cedric?"

Ria laughed, "Oh him, he's just a distraction."

Harry laughed, he knew she was joking, but he was glad that even though she and Cedric were dating she still had time for him.

As if she was reading his mind, Ria stopped walking and looked up at him, she looked him straight in the eye, "No matter what happens I will always love you and be proud of you, Harry. You are one of my favorite people at the school, in the world even, and you mean more to me than anything."

"You really mean that?"

"Of course I do, Potter, why would I lie to you?"

Harry smiled and started walking again, "Speaking of love, when is Cedric going to pop the question?"

"The question? What quest – oh, no, he hasn't even told me that he loves me, why would he ask me to marry him?"

"Whatever you say."

"He doesn't love me does he? He couldn't? He can't love me right?"

Harry stopped; it was his turn to reassure Ria, "Why couldn't he love you, Ri? There's nothing not to love. You're utterly amazing and smart; you're funny and sweet. You're caring, energetic, athletic, talented, loud, talkative, understanding, intelligent, and beautiful. There's nothing that could convince anyone to not like you. Plus," he said, remembering that summer when Ria had tried to bake him a birthday cake and had almost succeeded in burning down the burrow, "you're an amazing cook."

Ria smiled up at him and hugged him, "Why is it that you are so good at convincing me that I am not a wasted piece of space?"

"Why is it that I always have to convince the most beautiful girl at Hogwarts that she is special and beautiful?"

It was a rhetorical question, Harry already knew the answer, when Ria was a second year she had dated a fourth year that had somehow convinced her that she didn't matter and that she was ugly and stupid and that nobody cared about what happened to her. And now, five years later, he was still trying to convince her that that boy was a prick and had no idea what he was talking about.

Ria smiled and looked shyly down at her feet, "Careful Potter, or you'll be likely to make me fall in love with you," she joked.

"Rats," Harry laughed, "You have discovered my plan, I was to steal you away from Diggory. Now I will just have to stalk you like Flint does."

Ria smiled.

Harry put his arm around her shoulders, "But seriously, I would not be surprised if Cedric told you that he loved you in the near future, he's quite taken with you."

Ria laughed, it seemed to Harry as if she was the only one at the school who did not know about the engagement ring that Cedric had hidden in his school trunk.

"He just can't love me," she whispered, "it's too soon."

"He's fancied you for ten years, and if I'm right, you've fancied him for just as long, what's too soon about that?"

"I don't love him."

"You don't?" Harry was panicked, how was he going to tell Diggory that the girl of his dreams did not feel the same way?

"I don't love him, do I? I can't love him. I don't even know what love is."

Harry smiled down at her softly, she was nervous and confused, "How does he make you feel?"

Ria smiled, "Safe."

"Safe?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know that he could hurt me, both physically and emotionally, I know that he could break my heart, my spirit, he could ruin me. But I trust him not to. I trust him with my whole heart not to hurt me.

"He makes me feel protected and warm. It could be the coldest night of the winter and all he has to do is walk into the room and smile in my direction and I get all warm and toasty inside. He knows everything about me, and likes me anyway. And he's one of the few people in the world that can put up with all of my mood swings and craziness.

"He gives some of the best hugs in the world. When he hugs me the rest of the world just seems to disappear, it's like he's keeping all the bad things away from me, just by wrapping those strong arms around me. I don't just like him because he's devastatingly handsome, although he is; he's also smart and funny.

"He knows just what to say to make me smile, to make me laugh, to make me forget that everything's going wrong. He's great to me and I… I love him."

Harry looked at her, surprised by her sudden confession, "What?"

"I love him… I love him, I love him, I love him." Ria laughed, and jumped up onto a rock by the lake, "I would just like everyone who's around to know that I, Ria Everard, am in love with Cedric Diggory! I LOVE HIM!"

Harry smiled and gently pulled her off of the rock, "So when are you going to tell him?"

Ria shook her head, "Oh no, I couldn't do that, what if he didn't feel the same?"

"I can guarantee that he does."

Ria shook her head again, "No, I'll just wait until he tells me, it'll be okay."

Harry nodded and began to lead her back toward the castle.

"Oh and Potter, if you ever tell him that I told you all of this, I will not hesitate to curse you."

Harry laughed, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

- - -

Ria was sitting in her desk toward the back of the potions classroom hoping that she wouldn't screw up her potion when a note landed on her desk. She looked around the room wondering who could have sent her the note, but everyone appeared to be working diligently on their potions. She quietly unfolded the note and read: 

_Are you scared?_

She glanced around trying to figure out who could have sent her the note and Flint caught her eye.

_Of What?_ She scribbled back and she passed the note back to him.

A few minutes later the note landed on her desk again. She unfolded it and stared at Flint's messy handwriting.

_Of your precious boyfriend dying during the tournament._

She gasped, how could Flint know that she was worried about that. But she would not let him know that she was afraid, she calmly wrote back,

_Why, should I be?_

Flint smirked when he read what she had written and began to write back, but at that moment Snape announced that the class had come to an end and all the students began to pack up their belongings a leave to go to the great hall for lunch. Ria took her time, hoping that Flint would just leave and then she would be able to forget about the note entirely, but when she looked up Flint was waiting for her by the door. She sighed and moved quickly toward the door, hoping to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"Yes Flint?"

"Well that's sure a nice greeting."

"I'm sorry, did you expect me to get all flustered and excited that you were waiting for me to exit the classroom like the stalker that you are?"

Flint smirked, "As I was going to tell you in the note, you should be afraid for that pretty boy of a boyfriend you have, because according to my father the Dark Lord has great plans for the winner of the tournament. And according to the poll around the school Diggory is a favorite to win."

Ria glared at him, "I don't believe you," she said as she sped up trying to loose Flint in the crowded hallway.

"Fine, but don't blame me when your precious boyfriend looses his life because you were too stupid to listen to my warning." Flint yelled after her.

Ria waited until she had run around the corner to let her tears fall, was Flint right? Did he really know what he was talking about? Or was he just trying to sound important? Ria hoped to Merlin that he was just trying to sound important.

"What's wrong with you?" Fred asked as she sat down between him and George at the Gryffindor table.

Ria absentmindedly wiped away a stray tear, "Nothing," she whispered.

"Did Diggory hurt you? Will we have to beat him up?" George asked.

Ria smiled, "No, it has nothing to do with Ced, he's perfect."

"Okay, if you're sure."

Ria nodded, "I am."

"Speaking of your knight in shining armor, is he coming to the party tonight?" George asked.

The students of Gryffindor tower were throwing a goodbye party for Ria and the other Gryffindor seventh years, and they were allowed to invite any other student from the other houses as long as it wasn't a student from Slytherin.

Ria smiled, "Yeah, I asked him this morning, he's coming."

- - -

Gryffindor Tower was filled with students and alcohol. There was a mixture of muggle and wizard music playing in the common room, and Professor McGonagall had been kind enough to decide to ignore the fact that there was a giant party going on in her house.

Most of the students were drinking, but two students in particular were having enough fun without the alcohol. Ria Everard and Cedric Diggory were in the middle of the dance floor having the time of their lives just being together.

About an hour into the party, Fred Weasley walked over to Ria and stole her away from her boyfriend.

"Ria, my love, we're about to start the karaoke and George and I have decided that you're going to be the first singer," he whispered in her ear.

Ria pulled away from him with a smile on her face, "Do I have any say in the matter?"

George came over and shook his head playfully, "Not really, we've already announced it to everyone."

Ria glared at the twins, but they laughed because she was having trouble hiding the smile on her face.

"Fine, I know what song I want to sing."

"Which one, M'lady?"

"_I'd Lie _by Taylor Swift."

"Taylor… who?" 

Ria rolled her eyes, "She's a muggle singer."

"Okay, whatever floats your boat."

The twins ran up toward the fireplace to set everything up. Cedric came up behind Ria and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She jumped. He laughed, "A little jumpy, aren't you?"

Ria nodded and turned around so that she could give him a hug.

"What was that about?" Cedric asked nodding toward the twins.

Ria laughed, "Nothing, just the Weasley twins, being the Weasley twins."

Cedric smiled and leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. Ria had just started to kiss back when Fred coughed into the magical microphone, "Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt the music, and the snogging that is going on in the back of the room," Ria and Cedric instantly pulled away from each other, while blushing madly, "but Miss Ria back there, has promised a little performance of the lot of you. So without further ado, Ria will sing some song by some muggle artist. I'm sure that Ria's version will be much better than any muggle version… am I right?"

Everyone cheered, and Ria self-consciously walked to the twins and took the microphone from them, "Okay, now if everyone could turn around so that I don't have to watch you watching me, that would be wonderful," she joked.

Everyone laughed and waited for her to begin singing.

Ria took a deep breath and began to sing,

"I don't think that passenger seat  
Has ever looked this good to me  
He tells me about his night  
And I count the colors in his eyes  
He'll never fall in love he swears  
As he runs his fingers through his hair  
I'm laughing cause I hope he wrong  
I don't think it ever crossed his mind  
He tells a joke I fake a smile  
That I know all his favorite songs  
And..

I could tell you his favorite colors green  
He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth  
His sister beautiful, he has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him,  
I'd lie

He looks around the room  
Innocently overlooks the truth  
Shouldn't a light go on?  
Doesn't he know I've had him memorized for so long?  
He sees everything black and white  
Never let nobody see him cry  
I don't let no body see me wishing he was mine

I could tell you his favorite colors green  
He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth  
His sister beautiful, he has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him,  
I'd lie

He stands there then walks away  
My god if I could only say  
I'm holding every breathe for you...

He'd never tell you but he can play guitar  
I think he can see through everything  
But my heart  
First thought when I wake up is  
My god he's beautiful  
So I put on my make up  
And pray for a miracle

Yes I could tell you his favorite colors green  
He loves to argue oh and it kills me  
His sisters beautiful he has his father's eyes  
And if you asked me if I love him  
If you ask me if I love him  
I'd lie"

The students who had been clapping and cheering while she was singing fell silent as soon as Ria finished her song. She blushed and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Was it really that bad?"

And like someone had switched on a light switch the entire common room burst into applause. Fred and George walked up and hugged her, "Who knew you had such a set of pipes," George whispered in her ear.

Fred smiled at the students, "Wouldn't you love to be the boy she was singing about? I know I would."

Ria playfully hit him and then ran toward the back of the room where Cedric was waiting for her with a smile on his face.

He caught her in his arms, and kissed her on the cheek, "Where did that come from? I knew you could sing, but wow! That's amazing."

Ria smiled, "You really think so?"

Cedric kissed her lightly on the lips, "Have I ever lied to you?"

Ria smiled and hugged him, Cedric lightly tugged on her hand, "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Ria nodded, "I'd love that."

Cedric smirked, "I knew you would," he whispered as he led her out of the common room and into the hallway.

The two walked happily around the school for a while before Cedric finally got up the nerve to tell her why he had wanted to get some time alone with her.

"Ria, I've got to tell you something," he whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"It's kind of serious."

Ria lifted her head off of his shoulder and looked up at him, smiling softly, "What's wrong, Ced?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong, everything is absolutely perfect."

"Then what do you have to tell me?"

"Ria, I've liked you forever, and we've been friends for even longer. Earlier this month you asked me if I believed that people could come back in a different form, a different life, after they've passed away. And the answer is yes, I do believe in past lives and future lives, but more so than that I believe that you were in all of my past lives and will be in all of my future ones. I have this feeling that if I were to die tomorrow, I wouldn't be sad, because I would know that I would see you again, without a doubt, I'd see you again.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that I… I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Ria looked up at him with fear in her eyes, "You shouldn't talk like that, you have the third task tomorrow. You're not going to die! You don't have to do anything rash like tell me you love me if you don't."

"But I do."

"Don't lie to me, Cedric Diggory! Just go away, go back to your common room and I will see you tomorrow before the task begins, and you will have forgotten all of this craziness. Okay?"

"So that's your answer then?"

"What?"

"I tell you I love you and your answer is that I have to forget all of this _craziness _by tomorrow morning?"

Ria stared at him for a moment, and fought back tears, "Yes, that's my answer," she finally whispered.

"Fine."

"Fine."

With that Cedric turned around and began walking back toward the Hufflepuff common room. Ria wanted to call him back, she wanted to tell him that she hadn't meant what she said.

She wanted to tell him that she loved him.

But she didn't.

She was worried about him. He was scared. That's why he was talking crazy like that. He wanted to hear that she loved him, because he could possibly die tomorrow. But the fear of death is not a good reason to do anything rash. Maybe after the task she would tell him how she really felt about him.

Maybe.

* * *

**That's all folks, I hope it wasn't too sappy for you! Review if you like, I would really like to crack 20 reviews before I update again. You have no idea how long it takes to type up these chapters and I would just like a little recognition. Thanks!**

**Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanza! And any other holidays that ya'll might celebrate.** ** 3**


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